More than 450 UTP staff gathered for the 2014 UTP Vice Chancellor’s Annual Address held at Chancellor Hall, UTP on 22 January 2014. Organised by UTP’s Finance and Asset Management Department, the address was delivered by YBhg. Datuk Ir (Dr) Abdul Rahim Hj. Hashim. Conducted since 2009, the theme for this year’s address was “Towards a Distinctive Reputation”.
This yearly event provides a platform for the Vice Chancellor to update UTP’s staff on the university’s overall performance and achievements for Financial Year 2013. Some of the achievements that were highlighted were:
- securing two new Professorial Chairs in Enhanced Oil Recovery (PETRONAS Carigali) and Deepwater Drilling & Construction Technology (Sapura Kencana)
- winning 87 medals in the 2013 International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX 2013)
- winning 18 medals and 4 special award at the British Invention Show (BIS 2013) and International Trade Fair, Ideas, Inventions and New Products Exhibition (iENA 2013)
- launching of the first gamelan album in Malaysia and
- champion of the International Students Sports Carnival for the fourth consecutive year.
The address also provided opportunities for the Vice Chancellor to deliver his aspiration for the university, as well as the university’s direction for 2014. Furthermore, it allowed for UTP Management and staff to have intellectual discourse, especially on issues related to academic and research activities.
In YBhg. Datuk’s address, he shared his insights on global education trends, university-industry partnership and internationalisation, and how they will affect the university as a whole. He also emphasised on the importance of improving the structure of UTP’s programmes and addressing customers’ satisfaction as part of the key focus areas for the university. YBhg. Datuk also mentioned that the university should continuously improve for sustainability and greater achievements and address its challenges accordingly, in line with its aspiration to become a reputable research university.
YBhg. Datuk also announced that UTP is embarking on the establishment of its very own Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETaL). The key aims of the Centre is to be the catalyst to encourage lecturers to be innovative in designing flexible models of learning, and provide promotion pathways which can lead to professorship for lecturers who have developed innovative teaching and learning methods and shown excellence in teaching. The CETaL task force was formed to spur this initiative, and preparations are currently being made for the soft-launch in April. CETaL will be housed at the UTP’s Multipurpose Hall and accessible to all UTP staff and students.
During the Q&A session, there were suggestions and feedback from staff on attracting top talents from industry, career progression, operational excellence and extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. In response, YBhg.Datuk said that some of these issues will be addressed by the establishment of the Star (Sustainable environment for Talent Attraction and Retention) Lab. The Lab team members will conduct a thorough analysis of the issues and propose concrete solutions of attracting and retaining staff. YBhg. Datuk also welcomed staff to syndicate ideas and suggestions with this team and said that more Lab teams will be formed to provide strategic solutions for the university.
