Batu Pahat- The Industry Center of Excellence – Rel (ICoE-Rel) of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, received a RM1 million grant from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (KPTM), to assist in the transformation of global rail transport.

The RM1 million mock cheque was handed over by Datin Paduka Ir. Dr. Siti Hamisah Tapsir to UTHM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Wahid Razzaly during the opening ceremony of the Research and Innovation Festival (R & I) which took place on 22 November 2017 at the Sultan Ibrahim Hall, UTHM. Datin Paduka Ir. Dr. Siti Hamisah also expressed the support of KPTM in the field of research and innovation of the university while she walked around and mingled with the participants of the event.

UTHM has been selected by KPTM to become the leading university of ICoE-Rel, as previously the university has had the expertise and experience of conducting Master of Science in Rail Transportation Engineering since 2012.

For the record, ICoE-Rel is a railway training and research center responsible for the collection, analysis, evaluation and management of data and the dissemination of research findings, in the field of rails for the use of government and non-government agencies in Malaysia. Additionally, the ICoE-Rel also serves as the ultimate platform for establishing research and collaboration at national and international levels.

Therefore, KPTM believes UTHM and ICOE-Rel close co-operation with the domestic and international rail transport industry, will successfully position Malaysia as a world-class, dynamic high-technology education hub by 2025.

Festivals as such serve as a platform for universities to identify quality research for research competitions and exhibitions both locally and abroad.

According to Professor Dr. Wahid, the R & I Fest has collected 174 products for the categories of staff, students and schools with three areas of assessment: Applied Research, Fundamental Research and Innovative Product Research. The participation involved 110 academic staff and 54 UTHM students as well as 10 participating schools around Johor who represented their respective products. He also believes that the number of entries indicates that the R & I Fest 2017 is a highly reliable platform for researchers to highlight their research and innovation results.

Professor Dr. Wahid is truly confident that by organizing programs like the R &I Festival will encourage and motivate researchers to continue to strive to improve research excellence at UTHM, thus enabling the research, innovation and commercialization culture among academic staff, researchers and UTHM students.