By Khoirun Nisa Ahmad
Photo By Noor Azreen Awang
SERDANG, Jan 19 - Managing Director for Weststar Group, Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim donated a one million ringgit endowment fund to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) towards fortifying cooperation in innovation within Aerospace Engineering and other strategic areas.
UPM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Dato' Dr. Aini Ideris said that the establishment of such cooperation provides an opportunity for UPM to build synergies in enhancing potential and innovation in the aforementioned field.
"This reinforces the university's relationship with the industry in strengthening collaborative networks that can be utilised not only by UPM staff but also by the community," she said at the memorandum of agreement (MoA) signing ceremony for the Tan Sri Syed Ibrahim UPM Endowment.
She said the collaborative networking initiatives were in line with the implementation of the 'Penta Helix' approach model introduced in 2018 where the model was able to drive the transformation of higher education towards excellence and distinction especially for UPM.
"The focus for Penta Helix is ?�??�? collaboration between industry, society and individuals. We say it is very flexible because of the mutual benefits when students carry out their assignments within the industry," she said in a press conference.
Weststar Group Managing Director, Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim said the fund was to establish close collaboration between UPM and the largest offshore helicopter service provider in Southeast Asia in the field of aerospace with the aspiration of producing more graduates in the field.
"Weststar wants to see graduates who are educated and trained in the field of upgrading over 40 helicopters this year.
"At the moment we employ five to seven engineers per plane; as for now we have 200 engineers and this is not adequate.
"The grant is for ten years, but UPM can request for additional funding," he said.
Tan Sri Azman handed over a one million ringgit endowment fund to UPM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Dato' Dr. Aini Ideris, and it was witnessed by UPM Pro Chancellor, Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Nayan Ariffin; UPM Board of Directors Chairman, Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dr. Anuwar Ali; UPM Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Industry and Community Relations, Prof. Dato' Dr. -Ing. Ir. Renuganth Varatharajoo; Weststar Group Financial Advisor, Datuk Syed Izuan Syed Kamarulbahrin and Dean of UPM Engineering Faculty, Prof. Dato’ Ir. Dr. Mohd Saleh Jaafar. – UPM
