NIBONG TEBAL, 6 November 2023 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) through the School of Chemical Engineering (SChE) and a global semiconductor leader in power systems and Internet of Things (IoT), Infineon Technologies, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Research Grant Agreement (RGA) today, marking a significant milestone in fostering innovation and research opportunities for both institutions.

Representing the USM Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and International, Dato’ Gs. Dr. Narimah Samat said, this collaboration is a unique opportunity for USM to combine the academic and research prowess with Infineon's industry expertise.

“In doing so, create a synergy that has the potential to change the face of technology as we know it,” said Narimah. “We both share a deep commitment to fostering innovation, nurturing talent, and contributing to the betterment of society.

“I hope our collaboration today, will not only enrich the academic and research experiences of our students but will also provide a platform for our faculty and researchers to engage in groundbreaking work,” she added.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Infineon Technologies (Kulim), Ng Kok Tiong said, Infineon has been aiming for an opportunity to work together with USM for the past few years.

“Now, since we both are well connected, particularly in staffing and expertise, it should be taken to the next comprehensive level, whereby the School of Chemical Engineering is the starting point towards a broader future collaboration,” says Ng.

“In the future, we plan to create a special programme for Infineon employees to enable them to obtain a USM degree, where the lecturers will come to Infineon to teach, and the staff will be given flexibility in their duty hours to follow the lessons throughout the duration of the study,” he said.

During the ceremony, Managing Director of Infineon Technologies (Malaysia), Eng Seng Meng said, USM is not only one of the top universities in Malaysia, but the interaction it gives between the students and industry is also excellent.

“With the expertise from SChE, we too expect to offer more to USM through this collaboration in the context of Information Technology, Automation and Packaging especially at our growing plant, Infineon Technologies (Malaysia) in Melaka,” he added.

The collaboration between USM and Infineon began in 2019, and in 2022, the partnership expanded to include in-depth studies in process chemical kinetics, electrochemistry, and waste material treatment at the USM School of Chemical Engineering.

Text: Siti Faizah Abd Halim/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Photo: Muhammad Taufik Abdul Rahman