International Staff Week

International Staff Week, ISW 2019 Photos

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia hosted its first International Staff Week 2019 from 28 October 2019 to 3 November 2019 on its Johor Bahru campus to strengthen and sustain partnership to benefit participating institutions and its international alliance, the Asia Technological University Network (ATU-Net). The International Staff Week 2019 (ISW2019) is the first to be hosted by an international university in Malaysia, and it saw the registration of 37 participants from 19 institutions from 10 countries, with the furthest being from Czech Republic.

The week-long programme was especially curated for administrators in charge of international mobility and affairs. In the Opening Ceremony, UTM Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International), Prof Ir Dr Zainuddin Abdul Manan welcomed the delegates and emphasised that the programme aimed to provide a platform to enhance skills and competencies in managing the international office, nurture inter-cultural competencies and international understanding, and share best practices in various areas related to international relations and activities.

A line-up of learning and sharing activities were featured including a keynote session on ‘Sustainable Partnership for Universal Prosperity’ by UTM Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International), and three workshops by speakers who are prominent in the international landscape: Workshop I – ‘Internationalisation, Ranking and Visibility’ by Prof Dr Nordin Yahaya, Director of Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT), Ministry of Education; Workshop II – ‘Establishing and Sustaining Partnerships’ by Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Ismid Mohd Said, Pro-Vice Chancellor (International), UTM International, UTM; and Workshop III – ‘Mobility for Staff and Students’ by Prof Dr Nor Haniza Sarmin, Associate Director (Global Strategy and Engagement), UTM International, UTM. The participants also shared about their universities and also studies that they have conducted in the networking session, the Meet and Greet session and the Mini Seminar. Eight topics were presented at the Mini Seminar, ranging from operational experiences such as student mobility and visa, to the larger scope of managing changes and alliances.

In addition to the Meet and Greet session at the Perpustakaan Sultanah Zanariah, the programme also featured similarly colourful activities including campus tour (Institute of Bioproduct Development, MagicX, and several other labs) and city tour (Malay Cultural Village), and welcoming dinner at the local Assam Pedas and BBQ and International Graduands Dinner at Pulai Springs Resort. Delegates of the participating institutions were also honoured with special invitations from the university to its 63rd Convocation Ceremony at the Sultan Iskandar Hall, and with convocation luncheon at the UTM Banquet Hall with Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah, Permaisuri of Johor and Chancellor of UTM and other VIPs. Overall, the programme received remarkably positive responses and rating of ‘good/excellent’, with requests for the programme to be conducted on annual basis and with more participating institutions.

International Staff Week is a programme commonly organised by European institutions with the purpose of encouraging partnership, staff mobility and training. Introducing the practice to local and Asian communities, ISW2019 was organised by UTM International, UTM in collaboration with the Asia Technological University Network (ATU-Net), Malaysia Chapter, which comprises of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, in addition to UTM. ATU-Net is a strategic international alliance of technological universities, of which UTM is both Chair and Secretariat. It has a total of 22 members from 10 countries in Asia. Delegates from other ATU-Net member institutions including Shibaura Institute of Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Suranaree University of Technology, and Universiti Teknologi Brunei also attended the programme.

 

Opening Ceremony

Keynote

Opening Ceremony
Keynote on Sustainable Partnership for Universal Prosperity

During the ISW programme, there was three specialized organised workshop session for the participants. The workshop sessions was delivered by Prof Dr Nordin Yahaya (AKEPT), Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Ismid Md Said and Prof Dr Nor Haniza Sarmin.

Workshop 1

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Workshop 1: Internationalisation, Ranking and Visibility by Prof. Dr. Nordin Yahya (AKEPT)
Workshop 1: Internationalisation, Ranking and Visibility

Workshop 2

Workshop 2: Establishing and Sustaining Partnerships by Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Ismid Md Said
Discussion Session, Ms Parichart Kreaktarvuth, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi

Workshop 3

Workshop 3: Mobility for Staff and Students by Prof Dr Nor Haniza Sarmin
Workshop 3: Mobility for Staff and Students by Prof Dr Nor Haniza Sarmin

Workshop Presentation

On the third day, the participants were given a chance to present on what they have learned and gained from the three workshops during the whole programme. It was an interesting experience to hear many types of different perspectives of their learning.

Workshop Presentation from Group 4 (Dr. Preethi Sheshadri, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology)
Workshop Group Presentation (Hajah Siti Asmahlati Bolkini Haji A. Ahmad, Universiti Teknologi Brunei)
Workshop Group Presentation (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Ramlee Kamarudin, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn)
Workshop Group Presentation (Assoc Prof Dr Sirichok Jungthawan, Suranaree University of Technology)

Meet & Greet Session

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Meet & Greet from King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi
Meet & Greet from Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta
Meet & Greet at Sultanah Zanariah Library
Meet & Greet from Shibaura Institute of Technology
Meet & Greet from Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology

During the ISW, a meet and greet session was held between the participant partner universities and postgraduate students of UTM on 29th October 2019. This activity was a wise measure taken to introduce the various partner universities of UTM and the types of mobility staff or student’s programs offered by the universities to postgraduate students and staffs alike.

Welcoming Dinner

Welcoming Speech from Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Ismid Md Said
Group photo of ISW Welcoming Dinner
Welcoming Dinner at Restoran Asam Pedas & BBQ, Taman Universiti, Johor Bahru

The International Staff Week (ISW) 2019 involved participants from seven countries which were Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, India, Czech Republic and Japan. The ISW event involved participants from 16 partner institutions as per listed below: 

1) Universitas Airlangga (Indonesia)

2) Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta (Indonesia)

3) Universitas Diponegoro (Indonesia)

4) Telkom University (Indonesia)

5) Universitas Riau (Indonesia)

6) Universiti Malaysia Perlis (Malaysia)

7) Universiti Malaysia Pahang (Malaysia)

8) Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Malaysia)

9) Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (Malaysia)

10) Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (Malaysia)

11) King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (Thailand)

12) Suranaree University of Technology (Thailand)

13) Universiti Teknologi Brunei (Brunei)

14) Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology (India)

15) Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice, Czech Republic

16) Shibaura Institute of Technology (Japan)

Mini Seminar -Internationalisation for Sustainability

On the third day, the participants were given a golden opportunity to attend a joint seminar between UTM participants and the participants from partner universities. The joint seminar on Internationalization for Sustainability was lead by eight moderators at Senate Hall, UTM Johor Bahru. It was an interesting and enriching session that allowed the participants to share their knowledge on Internationalization.

Mini Seminar (International Partnership: Strategic Ways Facing Society 5.0 from Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta)
Mini Seminar (Student Visa and Pass: Malaysia Immigration Policy and Regulation from UTM)
Mini Seminar at Senate Hall, UTM Johor Bahru
Mini Seminar ISW Participants

ISW Closing Ceremony

After the sessions, there was a closing and certificate giving ceremony to all ISW participants held by Prof Dr Nor Haniza Sarmin, Associate Director (Global Strategy & Engagement) to show appreciation for all participants from the partner universities.

Closing Ceremony by Prof Dr Nor Haniza Sarmin
Certificate Giving Ceremony
Certificate Giving Ceremony
Certificate Giving Ceremony
ISW Closing Ceremony