PENANG, December 2014 - The second International Conference of Global Network for Innovative Technology (IGNITE 2014) jointly organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT) is deemed as the best platform to further strengthen the collaboration between the two institutions in the field of innovative engineering technology.

According to USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs), Professor Dato' Dr. Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal, it opens the door to the two institutions of higher learning to jointly work with the manufacturing, engineering and electronics industries particularly those in Penang and the Northern Corridor of Peninsular Malaysia in the related field.

"Besides that, with the establishment of TUT-USM Technology Collaborations Centre, Penang in 2013 which is the first TUT satellite campus outside Japan, student exchange programmes for practical or industry training can be implemented more systematically between USM and TUT.

"For example, the first batch of 20 TUT students have undergone their industrial training (industrial internships) earlier this year at the Centre after attending the familiarisationprogrammes provided and organised by USM," said Ahmad Shukri representing the USM Vice-Chancellor in his officiating speech at the IGNITE 2014opening ceremony and dinner that was held at a hotel here recently.

IGNITE 2014, held from 14 to 16 December, has successfully attracted close to 80 participants from various backgrounds including researchers, scholars, scientists, professionals and students, mostly from Malaysia and Japan, to present 73 papers on inventive technological advances and innovative research results in various application fields such as imaging and sensing, renewable energy, electronic devices and materials, robotics and automation technology, and electronic system design and IC packaging.

Ahmad Shukri added that USM is looking forward to work closer with TUT in establishing academic, research, consultancy collaborations, and community/industry engagement in which he hoped will further enhance both universities positions as leading centres of excellence in engineering technology in this region.

In the meantime, TUT President who is also the President of The Science Council of Japan Dr. Takashi Onishi said that the TUT and USM collaboration in co-organising IGNITE 2014 has opened another new chapter in highly innovative technology partnership for sustainable development which he believes will not only benefit TUT and USM but also Japan and Malaysia in the long term.

At the same ceremony, TUT alsoconferred an Honorary Degree to the Chairman and President of Mini-Circuits Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd as well as the Advisor for the Young Entrepreneurs' Association of Malaysia and SME Management Council Chairman, Dato' Seri Kelvin Kiew Kwong Sen in recognition of his role and contribution in international collaboration network among government, industry and academia, including the establishment of the TUT-USM Technology Collaborations Centre in Penang.

At the dinner, the guests were treated to traditional cultural dances and contemporary songs by the USM Engineering Campus ADIKARMA group and the USM Dewan Budaya musicians and singers.

Besides USM and TUT, IGNITE 2014 also received support from Nagaoka University of Technology and the Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan (KOSEN) as well as sponsorship from renowned industrial companies such as Silterra, Mini-Circuits dan Measurement & Metrology Group (M&M).

Also present were the Japanese Consul-General in Penang H.E. Ryuji Noda and his wife, the President of Penang Japanese Association and the Managing Director of Toray Industries (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Hiroshi Yoshimura, USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network) Professor Dato' Dr. See Ching Mey, Director of USM Engineering Campus Professor Dr. Zainal Arifin Mohd Ishak, General Chair of IGNITE 2014 cum the Dean of USM School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and the Director of USM Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Centre(CEDEC) Professor Dr. Mohd Zaid Abdullah, General Chair of IGNITE 2014 cum the Chairman of TUT Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering Department Professor Dr. Akihiro Wakahara as well as IGNITE2014 keynote speakers,USMandTUT principal officers.

Translation & Text: Tan Ewe Hoe/Photo: Mohamad Danial Shahri