Campus Info

QS ranks UMP among Top 50 best young universities

As Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) celebrates its 17th anniversary of foundation this year, it recorded another milestone when the university successfully made it to the ranking group of 101-150 in the global 50 best young universities for 2019.

World renowned tertiary education accreditation agency, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), made public its announcement of the annual report 'QS Top 50 under 50' last Tuesday July 2. For the full report, click on the following link: https://www.topuniversities.com/…/t…/qs-top-50-under-50-2020.

Having made such international ranking, together its local Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) counterpart Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), is a testament that the technical and engineering university is on the right track, and can confidently offer quality tertiary education, research and development facility, community services as well as relevant industrial collaborations – on par with the rest of other world renowned universities.

Congratulations UMP! 

Collaborations

UMP, Kuantan Port signed MoA to enhance corporate governance

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Kuantan Port Consortium Berhad (KPC) that would involve a study on integrity, governance, risk and compliance be carried out.

The MoA would also involve training aimed at enhancing corporate governance and efficiency as well as help improve accountability among employees towards the organisation and minimise operational cost and reputational risk.

With a pool of researchers having the right expertise from Faculty of Industrial Management (FIM) Governance & Integrity Centre (FGIC) the university was ready to impart its knowledge and skills with KPC management staff.

UMP was represented by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Yusoff and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), Professor Ts. Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli while KPC by its Executive Director, Wong Soon Fah and Traffic Department Manager, Mohd. Mahayudin Mohd. Hashim.

The MoA was signed on June 21, 2019. Also present was Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) Dean and Head of Researchers, Professor Dato’ Dr. Hasnah Haron.

According to Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar, an organisation would be able to achieve excellence and sustain the high quality if basic issues involving governance, ethics, integrity and transparency were efficiently and effectively managed by those with vested interest and the stakeholders.

“The acculturation and experiencing of values in integrity and good governance is not limited to a certain sector only because the issue is comprehensive in nature that impacts an individual, the society, country, public organisation such as UMP and other organisation such as KPC.

“The diversity in the staff academic background such as management, accounting, finance, economics, applied science, law and engineering is an advantage to enable inter-disciplinary research on governance and integrity be implemented, and this has been made possible following the collaboration established with KPC,” he said.

The Corporate Integrity System Assessment Study carried out is based on the Global Benchmark on Ethics and Integrity framework developed by Joan Elise Dubinsky and Alan Richter (2008/2009).

It covers 13 organisational dimensions.

Training involving ethics, integrity and governance for selected staff would include six modules comprising the concept of ethics and integrity, risk management and anti-bribery management system.

Professor Dato’ Dr. Hasnah also said it was important for an organisation to understand good governance because it would help the organisation to grow as well as able to control and shape management effectively.

She added that both UMP and KPC believed that the finding of the study would have huge benefits to the latter because with the development of a self-evaluation instrument, this could be used to assess and evaluate the level of integrity and ethics at KPC workplace.

Eleven UMP researchers would be involved in the evaluation process in KPC while in the training programme, the management staff would participate in various programmes such as a briefing, seminar and tests.

The study would be carried out in not less than two months while the training programme would be held over six days. The participants would be presented with certificates upon completion.

Research and Innovation

UMP researchers invented ‘MHeLFAGV’ – a forklift that could lift and move loads of more than 50 kg

Concerned over problems faced by the industries relating to material handling equipment, a group of Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) researchers came up with a vehicle that could lift steel roll, weighing between 50kg and 60kg, from a relatively narrow factory store to the inspection room in not more than 20 minutes.

It is called the Mini Heavy Loaded Forklift Autonomous Guided Vehicle (MHeLFAGV).

The right type of forklift is used to lift heavy loads but normally, the size is rather bulky and unsuitable to lift loads into storage area with small and limited space.

Lead researcher and lecturer with Faculty of Electrical & Electronics Engineering (FKEE), Ir. Dr. Addie Irawan Hashim said the idea for the product came up when Vacuumschmelze (M) Sdn. Bhd. (VAC) invited him to work together to solve problems faced the company.

“It started with a discussion and it led to the development of MHeLFAGV that met the industrial requirements of the company.

“Research on the product began in 2014 and it was carried out together with my colleague, Ir. Dr. Akhtar Razul. 

“The idea for the vehicle was mooted by VAC General Manager, Mohd Arif Zakaria. It was completed last year,” said Ir. Dr. Addie, who hailed from Pahang.

He added that the vehicle was designed using the ‘pick-and-swallow’ mechanism that involved the heavy steel roll lifted into the machine before it was moved to the designated location.

“This is to ensure balance when moving the load. It is different as compared to the other common forklifts found in the market.

“It also used the omni tyre that allows the machine to move in all directions and make turns without taking too much space, especially when making turns to enter into an aisle,” he said.

He said MHeLFAGV was easy to handle in a tight space with less possibility of accidents occurring such as scuffing the wall or getting stuck.

He hoped that the company would find the equipment working to their likings and meet their industrial needs that involved a lot of lifting of steel rolls and that this would result in better and smoother work flow in the workplace located in Pekan.

“At the same time, both parties have plans to obtain more funds so MHeLFAGV can functioned more effectively. Its function can be further improved by making it more automated.

“The plan is to speed up the lifting process by using the automatic system based on image processing and artificial intelligence, including having a unique mechanical mechanism.

“We also plan to further improve the robotic design, expand it and market it for other transportation applications and tweaked it so it can used in various versions,” he added.

Research and Innovation

‘ErgoSpillBag’ developed to handle chemical spills in labs

By: MIMI NABILA MOHD NOORDIN, FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

The Innovative & Creative Team (KIK) from the Faculty of Engineering Technology (FTeK), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) has successfully developed the ‘ErgoSpillBag’, to facilitate quick reaction by laboratory users in emergency cases of chemical spills at the faculty’s lab.

Designed to be smaller and lighter, with ergonomic characteristics, the ‘ErgoSpillBag’ contains its own ‘Chemical Spill Kit’, and can be conspicuously hung on the walls at the lab.
 
According to FTeK Science Officer, Ikram Safiee, who is also the Head of KIK, the existing ‘Chemical Spill Kit’ currently used at the faculty is enclosed in a large bin, weighing some 30 kg and placed in a locked and secluded room a distance away from the lab expending chemical content.

“The unsystematic arrangement of the kit inside the bin also makes it difficult for lab users to access it in emergency cases of chemical spills,” Ikram highlighted.

“This, in turn, causes undue delay to lab users to carry out cleaning and clearing activities should there be any chemical spill,” he added.
 
On that note, Ikram said KIK has developed a more efficient and easy-to-use product with ergonomic specifications – a bag equipped with wheels and adjustable handle, weighing about 7 kg, and comes complete with a systematic arrangement of the prerequisite kit. 

“The exterior of the ‘ErgoSpillBag’ is designed without any sharp edges, with an attached hook for an easy sling on the walls of the FTeK lab,” explained the Science Officer.
 
“Chemical spill is an anticipated emergency incident, with a probability of happening in any lab handling chemical content. Lab users are expected to respond quickly to handle any chemical spill in order to mitigate potential harmful effects on human health,” he emphasized.
 
Meanwhile, KIK Team Coordinator, Mimi Nabila Mohd Noordin, said the ‘ErgoSpillBag’ project was initiated and developed to upgrade the safety precautionary level of the students, staff and whoever is at the faculty’s lab handling chemical content.   

“The initiative is in line with the FTek’s Occupational Health & Safety Policy, which also mirrors the OHSAS 1800:2007 standards,” said Mimi Nabila.

“The ‘ErgoSpillBag’ is designed to facilitate easy cleaning and clearing works by the lab users should there be any chemical spill. It also reinforces the efficient system of the Emergency Response Plan at the FTeK lab.

“Hence, should there be a chemical spill at the lab, all that any user needs to do is grab one of the ‘ErgoSpillbag’ already hanging on the wall, and apply the cleaning kit according to the sequence prescribed in the User’s Manual enclosed in the bag,” she remarked.

The ‘ErgoSpillBag’ product recently coveted the Gold Award at the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) Team Excellence Mini Convention (East Coast Region) on June 24, 2019. 

The project was collectively developed with the assistance of Dr. Ezrin Hani Sukadarin, Joharizal Johari, Hairunnisa Osman, Mohamad Hafizi Che Mat, Mohd Shamsul Azmi Samsudin and Mohd Azlan Sayuti.