The Higher Education Review

Established in 1997, UniversitiTeknologi PETRONAS (UTP) is a leading private university in Malaysia, built on a 400 hectare (1,000 acres) site strategically located at Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak DarulRidzuan, Malaysia. A wholly-owned subsidiary of PETRONAS, the national oil and gas Company of Malaysia, UTP is renowned for offering a wide range of industry-relevant engineering, science and technology programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The university aims to produce well-rounded graduates with excellent leadership qualities and communication abilities.

As an institute of higher learning, UTP is working to provide opportunities for the pursuit of knowledge and expertise for the advancement of engineering, science and technology to enhance the nation's competitiveness. The objective of the university is to produce wellrounded graduates who are creative and innovative with the potential to become leaders of industry and the nation. "The increasing pressure in the education sector implies that institutions of higher learning need to maintain a competitive edge in academic excellence, education delivery, research outcomes, and positive student experience. UTP is committed to creating opportunities for the pursuit of knowledge and expertise to create world-class science, engineering, and technology solutions. In our pursuit towards excellence, we continue to strive to deliver beyond what is expected of us.

With our focused expertise, we strive to enhance knowledge creation in the oil and gas sector. Defying conventions and consistently raising the quality limits, we, at UTP are fuelling innovation and enriching teaching and research practices to achieve the bestoutcomes. And, by empowering talents through access to quality education and hands-on experience, we are energizing the future of young leaders”, says Professor Ts. Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib, Vice Chancellor of UTP.

Professor Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim bin Abdul Mutalib graduated from University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia with a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering. At UniversitiTeknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Professor Dr. bin Abdul Mutalib was appointed as Lecturer II and became the founding Head of Programme for Chemical Engineering in 1998. He designed the curriculum for the Chemical Engineering programme and developed necessary support resources. In 2000, he was appointed as the Director of Research and Consultancy. Among his immediate responsibilities included development of the Research & Development (R&D) and Consultancy master plan for UTP.

Range Of Courses To Pursue
A niche private institution in Malaysia focusing on Engineering, Technology, Computing, and Business, UTP offers a range of courses with close linkages to the industry that equips students and graduates to be career ready upon graduation. For Engineering, the following are offered: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering. For Computing, UTP offers Information Systems, Information Technology, and Computer Science. Additionally, it also offers Business Management, Applied Chemistry, and Petroleum Geoscience.

UTP also conducts extensive research activities in collaboration with PETRONAS and other institutions and industries, locally and abroad, on six research focus and niche areas. They are self-sustainable building, transport infrastructure, health analytics, hydrocarbon recovery, contaminant management and autonomous system.

When it comes to international students, UTP welcomes them from across the globe with open arms. “We understand that this maybe a new experience for those visiting or living in Malaysia for the first time, thus, our campus is well equipped in providing the support, assistance, and guidance needed to new students settling in. For that, we have UTP’s Centre for Student Experience to assist students on campus in adjusting through this transition.

As for the courses, Chemical Engineering and Business Management are some of the top courses that international students show interest in. Adding to this, we also encourage our prospective international students to check with their local governing bodies on scholarship and financial aid opportunities that may be available to pursue their studies in Malaysia”, shares Professor Mohamed Ibrahim.

UTP is known to offer a 7-month internship programme, the longest duration offered across all other Malaysian universities. It is a 28-week programme divided into two main components: Student Industrial Training and Student Industrial Project. “Our internship programme ensures that our students will get an early career exposure through the programme which can be done locally, or even globally”, adds Professor Mohamed Ibrahim.

Building Future Ready Professionals
Ranked 111thin the Times Higher Education Asia, 60th through the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies, 72nd through the QS Asia as well as 450th in the QS World University Rankings, UTP has achieved numerous milestones over its 25 years of its establishment. The university has now produced more than 22,000 graduates and currently has an enrolment of above 800 foundation students, more than 4,000 undergraduates and over 1,000 postgraduates from more than 50 countries around the world.

"Defying conventions and Consistently raising the Quality limits, we, at UTP Are fuelling innovation And enriching teaching And research practices To achieve the best Outcomes"

Continuously working with the aim of nurturing creativity and innovativeness and expanding the frontiers of technology and education for the betterment of society, UTP has come a long way since its inception. Conveying a message for future students of UTP, Professor Ts. Dr. Nor Hisham Hamid, Deputy Vice Chancellor Student Affairs says, “At UTP, students would not only be exposed to a niche education background – but also a uniquely diverse community of fellow UTPians from around the world. Students would also have the opportunity to embrace the cultural elements that Malaysia and Perak has to offer. UTP is located in Perak, a northern state of Malaysia, which is about two and a half hours from the country’s capital, Kuala Lumpur”.