Home > News & Events > News Archive 2010 > MoU Signing Ceremony between Lehigh University, USA and UTP
MOU SIGNING CEREMONY BETWEEN LEHIGH UNIVERSITY, USA AND UTP
7 JANUARY 2010
UNIVERSITI Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) and Lehigh University of the US have signed a memorandum of understanding to cement academic and research and development ties.
The formalisation of an alliance between these two leading institutions of higher learning is set to pave the way for further collaboration in areas such as staff development programme, student exchange, joint research and teaching and learning programmes.
Under the MoU, which was signed on 7 January 2010, UTP lecturers may pursue MSc or PhD degrees and work on research attachments or upgrade their technical skills at Lehigh. Students from both Universities, on the other hand, may undertake single semester exchange programme or pursue post-doctoral fellowships. Both universities could also undertake joint research programmes .
UTP Rector, Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Kasim welcomed the tie-up, pointing out that a “young” UTP could only benefit from the almost 140-year-old Lehigh University’s experience.
“We are looking forward to this collaboration and Lehigh’s assistance in taking our university another step forward,” Zainal said in his address to guests at the signing ceremony, who included Dr Alice P. Gast, President of Lehigh University.
He pointed out that although UTP is considered young, there is rapid development taking place not only in terms of infrastructure on campus but also in terms of its academic and R&D programmes, particularly in the areas of energy, environment and infrastructure.
The collaboration with Lehigh is in line with UTP’s transformation plan as it works towards achieving research university status. Part of the plan includes a road map that will act as a guide to its R&D development with the aim of making UTP competitive and relevant to industries and the nation.
“The MoU to establish a strategic partnership between the two institutions will commit us to work closer together towards our common goal, particularly, the pursuit of internationalisation of education and R&D. Both universities share a common research interest in the areas of energy, environment and infrastructure.” said Dr Alice P. Gast.
It is envisaged that the staff development programme, undergraduate and postgraduate student exchanges, joint research activities as well as teaching and learning programmes will yield significant advantages for both parties.
Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and is ranked in the top tier among national research institutions in the US. The university specialises in environmental research such as protecting natural resources and alternative forms of energy, health-related research in areas such as heart disease and AIDS.