Award winning technology detects faults before blackouts

A Curtin University researcher who developed a technique to detect transformer faults responsible for power outages is the winner of the 2012 Curtin Commercial Innovation Awards.

Dr Ahmed Abu-Siada has created a software-based technique that creates an image of how the transformer should be functioning, and then detects faults in real-time without disrupting the supply of power.

Director of Curtin’s Office of IP Commercialisation, Rohan McDougall, said transformers are a vital piece of electricity infrastructure, and transformer failures can be catastrophic, leading to explosions, fires and power outages, making this a critical innovation.

“When a major fault occurs on an in-service transformer, the results can be far-reaching, requiring costly repairs, causing environmental damage and resulting in potential for serious injury – the costs can run into millions of dollars,” he said.

“But this technique created by Dr Abu-Siada is able to identify the type of fault, and even issue an early warning signal, causing minimal disruption to electricity supply and end users.”

The real advantage to the technique is its ability to be applied every 20 milliseconds to immediately detect changes to the transformer. It uses algorithms to provide a visual output to the service technician, who can then identify the faulty transformer and know the fault type they are dealing with before fixing it.

Curtin is currently looking at opportunities to develop commercial relationships to further develop and implement this unique technology.

Professor Xiangyu Wang was named runner-up for developing an integrated system for the iPad and other handheld devices, to solve significant time and cost issues in mega construction projects. The system works by intelligently extracting information from a variety of sources and putting it in the hands of the worker, in situ.

The Early Research Career Award was presented to a PhD student, Chiragkumar Desai, who developed a mini-emulsion method for drug delivery, which improves the bioavailability and safety profile of drugs.

The Awards were established in 2007 and aim to identify new technologies, products or services arising from research at Curtin, with prizes for this year totalling more than $40,000 in cash and in commercialisation services provided by the award’s sponsors.

Curtin’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Development, Professor Graeme Wright, said the winning technology was a fine example of the University’s high level, industry-relevant research and focus on providing a range of practical solutions to community needs.

“Dr Ahmed Abu-Siada is well deserving of this award and the detection of faults in power transformers is a great example of the commercial potential coming out of Curtin,” Professor Wright said.

“All of our finalists and winners at today’s Awards demonstrate the University’s strength in this area and should be commended for their achievements. In the years to come, we will see many more fine examples of products and solutions that offer real commercial potential and provide significant benefits to the community.

Beating the gridlock

Story by Fiona Killman

Associate Professor Hai Vu with Andrew Wall, Manager Network Operations at VicRoads Photo: Eamon Gallagher

Traffic managers across Australia are under constant pressure to ensure roads run efficiently as the growing population increases traffic congestion. This is why the Victorian Road Authority, VicRoads, is working with Swinburne to implement an intelligent transport system for Melbourne.

“There is a lot more traffic on the road network, especially in the inner and middle parts of Melbourne,” Andrew Wall, Manager Network Operations at VicRoads says. “There is no more space to build our way out of the problem, so we have got to be smarter about how we use our existing roads. This involves the use of intelligent transport systems to give priority to transport that moves more people, and encourages drivers to make different choices about how they travel.”

To develop the system, Swinburne and VicRoads launched Victoria’s first dedicated traffic analysis research centre in April. Researchers at the Swinburne Intelligent Transport Systems Laboratory, based at the Hawthorn campus, will analyse live traffic data to develop new technology and algorithms to help improve traffic flow and make the journey safer for drivers by reducing collisions and managing disruptions.

Better informed, better managed trafficWall says the Swinburne team will receive data from every signalised intersection in Melbourne. “By partnering with academia we open up opportunities for more research that not only assists us to better manage the roads and make use of the wealth of data we collect, but also provides fantastic learning opportunities for students and researchers,” he says. 

Head of the laboratory, Associate Professor Hai Vu, from Swinburne’s Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies, says advancements in technology enabling better access to more accurate, real-time information, inspired him to look into intelligent transport systems and approach VicRoads.

“I live in Melbourne and like many other big cities, traffic congestion has a huge impact on social and economic activities – not to mention how frustrating it can be for drivers. I see the opportunity where understanding how and when congestion occurs from traffic data can help to improve the situation. This is the idea underpinning this exciting new partnership,” he says. 

“We can apply information and knowledge gained from traffic data to better utilise and manage our road infrastructure, and Swinburne has a lot of research activities and expertise in this area,” he says.

Rethinking transport systemsThe Swinburne team brings to the project extensive research expertise in networks and data communication, artificial intelligence and knowledge of data intensive systems, their management and control. The team also has expertise in sustainable infrastructure and transportation.

Associate Professor Vu says the laboratory will collaborate with Australian and international universities, including the University of Queensland, University of Melbourne and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. This will form partnerships with other leading researchers tackling this difficult problem and leverage the experience of similar initiatives overseas such as the co-operative traffic management centre in the Netherlands.

Wall says the initial role of VicRoads is to provide access to data and the traffic signal system; however, they plan to work with researchers in the near future to identify problems and solutions to improve traffic flow and reduce collisions and incidents.

“The university researchers have a lot of different skills and can bring completely different ways of thinking,” he says.

The driver experience“What people value is reliability,” Wall says. “If it generally takes a driver 20 minutes to get to work, we want it to consistently take 20 minutes.”

Intelligent transport systems aim to deliver more consistent and safer travel through improved traffic management, increased use of public transport and new technology. In the short term, this will mean changes to traffic signal timing in hot spots, as well as other strategies to improve traffic flow and ensure less disruption to public transport.

In the future, improved navigation systems could provide drivers with optimal turn-by-turn guidance based on live information about traffic congestion and incidents on their travel path. On-board technology could also identify when a driver is stressed or fatigued.

Under an intelligent transport system, communication between vehicles – an area Associate Professor Vu has been researching for some time – has the potential to reduce collisions and fatalities on the road by warning surrounding vehicles about sudden braking or other problems, so drivers can react faster.

“My vision is a transportation system where we can have cars, trains, buses and trams all connected, sharing information and interacting with people. It’s all part of a future digital society,” Associate Professor Vu says. 

INFORMATION BY :

SEGi Produces Ethical Computer Hackers

The pervasiveness of computers is continuing to grow at an exceptional rate. As we become increasingly dependant on technology across all aspects of our life, we also become increasingly susceptible to security threats, which can occur hourly in a computers system.

Computers are systematically being victimised by epidemic hacking. As the rate of hacking attacks gradually increases around the world, it becomes a major concern within organizations regardless of their network infrastructures. 

However, this threat also presents a great opportunity for those who are versed in the field of ‘ethical hacking’. Ethical hacking is the scientific approach of understanding tools, techniques and methodologies used by malicious hackers with the aim of developing a security system which is non-hackable. 

In recognising this opportunity, SEGi University College collaborates with EC-Council Academy to integrate EC-Council IT Security Programme, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), into the Bachelor of IT (Hons) programme and offer the CEH course to its students as an industry skill course. 

To formalise this collaboration, an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony between SEGi University College and EC-Council Academy was held on 14 April 2011 at the SEGi flagship campus in Kota Damansara.

Signing the MOU was Emeritus Professor Dr. Muhamad Awang, SEGi University College Vice-Chancellor, and Wilson Wong, EC-Council Asia Pacific Managing Director. Also present to witness the signing was Professor Dr. BC Tan, SEGi University College Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, and Chin Yuen Kin, EC-Council Academy Centre Director. 

During his welcome address, Professor Muhamad said, “We are all guilty of being increasingly dependent on technology in our everyday lives. We rely on it in both our work lives and personal lives to do anything from gathering and storing information, to retrieving and sending it. I am sure that for most people present today it has become pervasive – from your smart phones and tablets to your company networks and servers. 

“This increasing dependence on information technology is creating a need to improve the confidentiality and integrity of electronic information, to ensure that computer and communications systems are less vulnerable to intentional and accidental error or misuse. The key is for those professionals who are in change of overseeing the security to think like a hacker, thus always staying one step ahead.” 

In addition to the CEH course, the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) offers a whole spectrum of industry-standard IT Security and E-Business programmes to address these critical issues across all industries. The EC-Council certification programmes combine both business and technical training to impart solid background necessary to build successful e-Businesses. 

Following Professor Muhamad’s opening address, Mr. Wong spoke about the collaboration with SEGi and the importance of computer security. 

“Cyber attacks are frequent and efficient; there are financial frauds, data beaches, cyber threats and attack news reported daily. Cyber attack towards organizations increases steadily over the years, even with increased IT infrastructure investment every year. Organizations today are taking note on the importance of well-trained IT Security professionals on maintaining and securing the business and reputation of an organization. The industry is in urgent need for cyber warriors to deal with cyber attacks that may occur anytime,” added Mr Wong. 

“According to MSC Malaysia Supply-Demand Study of the ICT Industry by Frost & Sullivan, The MSC cluster is poised to add 50,000 new knowledge workers over the next three years (2010-2012). The MOU today reflects SEGi University College and EC-Council Academy contribution of producing a pool of highly skilled cyber warriors as the country gets closer towards its ambition to be a developed nation by 2020.” 

To date, SEGi Education Group is the largest private institution of higher learning in Malaysia with more than 23,000 students across its six campuses in Kota Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, Subang Jaya, Penang, Sri Kenbangan and Kuching. 

SEGi Education Group offers programmes from foundation and diploma level to bachelor and master degrees in information technology, medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, nursing, health sciences, business, engineering, built environment, creative design, hospitality & tourism, education and social sciences. They also offer the popular American Degree Program as well as the Doctor of Business Administration.

Limkokwing Creativity Grooms ICT-Savvy Talents

An advocate of creativity and innovation since the 1970s, the Limkokwing University of Creativity Technology (LUCT) is taking the lead by producing graduates equipped with the right skills and capabilities to drive the ICT industry and their careers.

ICE- a way of life

Information technology is very much a part of everyday life: the computer occupies a central position not only in business organisations but increasingly in fields as diverse as manufacturing to space exploration and banking.

This has created a wealth of opportunities for Malaysia, which is moving into a high-income and innovation-driven economy, one area that well-qualified ICT graduates are able to provide the momentum to propel it.

Geared for success

The LUCT Faculty of Information and Communication Technology offers internationally-recognised BSc degrees including Mobile Computing, Games Technology and Business Information Technology, as well as postgraduates studies in Computer Networking and Communication. Delve into the exciting world of ICT where you will get to learn all you’ve ever wanted to know about:

• Games Programming
• Digital Modelling and Animation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Interactive Multimedia
• Real-Time Systems
• Internet Security Knowledge
• Grid Computing

High-flying ICT careers

The programmes are tailored to ensure graduates are industry-ready and able to blend in with different cultures and nationalities, making them attractive to potential employers.

Some of the career options one would consider as an ICT graduate would be:

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

A CIO heads the IT group within an organisation, and usually reports to the chief executive officer (CEO). You will be the visionary ICT leader, spearheading ambitious projects that will enhance the growth and business strategy of the organisation and will be responsible for the overall strategic direction and management of the organisation’s IT infrastructure.

Security Analyst

As the person ensuring the security of the organisation, you will have to be privy to security breaches and network intrusions. The guardian of the ICT hardware and software, you handle all security documentation and assess the suitability of new technologies on existing or planned systems.

Analyst Programmer

This role requires knowledge of a variety of programming languages. If you’re good at programming, you will enjoy installing, designing, modifying, testing and writing programmes, and supporting work teams and solving problems with software.

Blending the world’s diverse cultures

The Limkokwing campus in Cyberjaya is an experience unlike any other. Students from all over the world converge, making it a dynamic multicultural environment with 70% of the 9,000 students coming from over 160 countries worldwide.

The university has some 30,000 students studying in its 12 campuses in Botswana, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lesotho, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. A big part of its appeal is the university’s innovative brand of creative education that merges the best of East and West education.

Experience London

In a rapidly developing world, the learning experience today has to include exposing young people to global business trends and innovation.

London - one of the world’s most vibrant and lively cities - is the heart of Limkokwing’s Global Research Centre for Creativity and Innovation.

Located in the heart of thriving Piccadilly, the campus provides students a unique opportunity to cross over to nearby locations for research in business, design, multimedia or any other fields of study.

An ICT student now has an opportunity to graduate with two awards, one Asian and one British. This is an exclusive route for Limkokwing students to spend their final year or semester in London, enabling them to obtain a Limkokwing award and a second credential from Anglia Ruskin University of Cambridge or University of Gloucestershire, UK.

Help University

INTI's Industry Collaborations Link Students

IBM, Cisco and SAP are among INTI’s list of global IT partners providing students with cutting edge technological know-how and professional certification to ensure their high employability upon graduation.

In fulfilling its brand promise to bring industry into the classroom, INTI through synergistic alliances such as MyUniAlliance with SAP and Software Career Training (SCT) with IBM, have enabled its students to gain access to a wealth of resources, technologies, industry best practices and business solutions.

INTI was one of the first educational institutions in Malaysia to participate in MyUniAlliance, an initiative by Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) to upscale and hone the abilities of undergraduates in ICT. A special hosting service is available to INTI’s students to access SAP systems for hands-on learning under a free software license that will provide knowledge of integrated business processes and industry best practices.

“Graduates need to be knowledgeable about Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems which integrate internal and external management information across an entire organization. We are very pleased to be in partnership with SAP, the world’s largest ERP solutions provider, to create educational opportunities and promote innovation among our students,” said Professor Walter Wong, Vice-Chancellor of INTI International University.

Professional certification provides INTI students with additional practical skills and knowledge that will give them a competitive edge over their peers. IBM’s SCT programme offers students a combination of technical knowledge, IBM leading technology, industry best practices and personal professional development in one integrated, career-enhancing learning experience. Graduates will acquire a high quality and recognised Malaysian qualification from INTI as well as an international IBM professional certification which gives them an immediate edge in job interviews and employment.

INTI has also worked alongside Cisco Networking Academy for many years. By incorporating the CCNA and CCNA wireless syllabus into its Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Network & Mobile Computing programme, INTI ensures that students develop the skills to design and manage medium-sized networks. The partnership also presents a pathway to professional certification in CCNP and CCIE.

The INTI curriculum emphasises on all-rounded development of a student’s cognitive and practical skills. Close collaboration with the industry ensures that the curriculum developed is relevant to the market’s needs, and more importantly, focuses on soft skills such as project management, team work, and proposals among others, which are essential skills when entering the work force.

Students of INTI benefit not only from the institution’s over 25 years of experience and strong track-record, but also gain from the global synergy and resources that Laureate International Universities provides. Laureate – the world’s largest private education network – has a presence in 29 countries, with more than 60 accredited universities and 130 campuses, serving more than 675,000 students globally.

Universiti Malaysia Pahang student feared drowned

KUANTAN: A Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) student is missing and feared drowned after he was swept away by the current while bathing at the Bekelah waterfall near Gambang, today.

Ang Kent Chin, 21, had gone to the picnic area at 8am along with his fellow UMP students for a co-curriculum activity and reported missing at about 10.30am.

Pahang Fire and Rescue public relations officer Anuar Hassan said the department was informed of the incident shortly after and despatched a team to the scene.

They had to trek uphill for three hours to reach the spot, he said, adding that a search operation was now underway.  -- BERNAMA

Read more: Universiti Malaysia Pahang student feared drowned - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/universiti-malaysia-pahang-student-feared-drowned-1.79567##ixzz21mylRDJN

UM top among Malaysian universities

KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Malaya (UM) reaffirmed its status as the premier university for the fourth year in a row as it achieved its best position in the QS Asian University Rankings 2012 in 35th overall and the first among all higher learning institutions in the country.

UM extended its domination as the top university in Malaysia since the first QS Asian University Rankings was introduced four years ago and has seen a steady improvement in rankings year by year.

"In this year's Asian rankings revealed by QS, UM achieved an overall score of 71.4 out of a possible 100 and ranked fourth for inbound and outbound student exchange.

"It was also ranked number one in Malaysia for academic reputation and employer reputation," said its vice-chancellor Tan Sri Dr Ghauth Jasmon in a statement today.

He said UM was also ranked number one for all faculty areas including Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine and Social Sciences & Management with the exception of Natural Sciences which saw UM being ranked in second place.

Ghauth said UM's research values were further reflected by the number of citations received at 17,520 and the university had produced a total of 9,161 papers from 2007 until 2011.

"We are delighted and honoured by this year's ranking as we have done our best to improve in all aspects, especially in bound and outbound student exchange," he said.

He said the ranking was the result of the outstanding work of UM's management, staff, students and efforts of its stakeholders and the Ministry of Higher Education in supporting its never-ending quest for excellence.

"In the overall picture, we are looking at the Asian rankings as the springboard to achieving our ultimate aim of being among the top 100 world- ranked universities in 2015," he added.

QS Asian University rankings represent the most extensive study of Asian institutions ever conducted with almost 500 universities assessed and include, among other things, responses to academic and employer surveys by QS. -- BERNAMA

Read more: UM top among Malaysian universities - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/um-top-among-malaysian-universities-1.89249##ixzz21mvUdr2s

PRO-REVOLUTION FOR EFFECTIVE TOOTH BRUSHING (USM)

PENANG, 1 Jun - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has successfully produced a uniquely designed toothbrush that can help users learn the correct technique of brushing their teeth and help prevent the formation of cavities.

The innovation was the result of the collaboration between Assoc. Prof Dr. Tang Thean Hock, from the Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, USM and his co-researchers, Prof. Abdel Hamid Zaki Abdel Hamid and Dr. Ashfaq Akram.

Dr.Tang said the tooth brush, known as Pro-revolution is unique because the two brush surfaces form a 45 degree angle, in line with the recommendation of the Dentist Association for effective tooth brushing.

He said that other than being the first of its kind in this country, the brush surface is tapered thereby making this toothbrush superior to those currently in the market.

“The design is user-friendly as there are no complicated steps as to its use. It promotes the cleaning of the teeth without requiring the toothbrush head to be canted during brushing as would be required with the conventional toothbrush.

“The tapered shape improves interproximal cleaning without increasing gum irritation. It is very practical and can be used by everyone, including children,” he said at a press conference today, to introduce the product.

He added that based on his experience, dental problems such as caries, cavities and others are caused by incorrect techniques of dental care, including incorrect methods of brushing teeth..

“Most people do not know the correct method of brushing teeth and are not aware of the correct way to use a toothbrush. This is compounded by the fact that there are various techniques of using a toothbrush to ensure proper cleaning of the teeth.

“Pro-revolution is easy to use because the bristles in the toothbrush have three different heights to help users in brushing their teeth,” he said.

He stressed that the toothbrush can be used by children and helps to educate them from young about the correct method of brushing their teeth.

Dr. Tang also said that he and his team conducted a research on user satisfaction with regard to the product and the results showed 74 percent of the respondents said that it is better than the toothbrushes currently available in the market.

He added that research for this product, developed without any special allocations has been carried out in four countries, including Germany, Japan, Pakistan and Malaysia.

The unique toothbrush, which has been patented, won a gold medal at the 22^ndInternational Invention, Innovation and Technology (ITEX) exhibition at Kuala Lumpur recently.

Universiti Sains Malaysia: Leader in Bringing Sustainability to the Forefront in Malaysia

Abstract 

In 2009, Universiti Sains Malaysia was chosen over nine other universities in Malaysia as Malaysia’s Accelerated Program for Excellence University. This status enables the university enables an institution to receive special support and nurtured for world class standing.

Universiti Sains Malaysia chose sustainability as a platform to transform higher education for a new sustainable future. Sustainability applies to many disciplines, including economic development, environmental and natural resource management, food production, energy, socio-cultural dimensions and lifestyles engaged in a transdisciplinary mode of teaching. It is within this framework that Universiti Sains Malaysia focuses its vision of a sustainable tomorrow through promoting such values as equity, accessibility, availability, affordability and quality. Additionally, Universiti Sains Malaysia embraces the protection of the multiple ecosystems, the conservation and restoration of resources as well as the development of human and intellectual capital for this purpose.

Project Description

  Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) was established in 1969. Since its beginning, USM has implemented a school system, as opposed to the traditional faculty system. What is unique about this system is that students can focus on a chosen area of study in a school and at the same time, they have the opportunity to explore other areas of study offered by another school. The interdisciplinary teaching approach ensures that USM, the first in the country to adopt this system, produce trained and multi-skilled graduates.
In 2007, USM was chosen as one of four research universities by the Ministry of Higher Education, elevating its status to the top of more than 100 public and private universities and colleges in Malaysia. In the same year, USM was rated as the only “excellent” or five star university in the Academic Reputation Survey conducted by the Malaysian Qualification Agency.
Other  universities in Malaysia had well-developed academic  and  research  programs on  sustainability long before USM, but USM is a  leader in  bringing  sustainability  into  the  forefront. Their “White Coffin” campaign (http://thewhitecoffin.usm.my/), originally targeted at getting rid of polystyrene containers on campuses, has now become the rallying call to achieve a sustainable campus by reducing consumption and waste.  The White Coffin campaign has inspired public and private universities to go green in Malaysia.
Since the launch of the White Coffin campaign in 2007, eight universities have emulated this plan. The Penang state government has also initiated USM’s green campaign to eliminate polystyrene foam containers and to reduce the use of plastic bags in government offices. Even the Consumers Association of Penang has cited USM in order to publicly pressure large events such as the Indian festival of Taipusam to go green. Each year, these national events generate a million pieces of polystyrene foam waste over a mere three days. As a result, the organizers of these events have committed to switch at least 10 percent of the disposable containers to be biodegradable and have “zero waste” as their long-term goal. Other activities being pursued on USM campus through the White Coffin campaign include reduce and recycling campaigns, environmental convocations emphasizing the sustainable development issue, participation in the global effort to combat global warming, and the Smart Energy Home campaign.
Furthermore, “sustainability” is now a buzzword on campus. Even obscure conferences or seminars have sustainability in the theme. In 2009, USM was selected as Malaysia’s Accelerated Program for Excellence (APEX) University. The APEX program seeks to propel a Malaysian university to become world-class within five years. In this journey, USM hopes to shift the focus beyond world rankings. USM commitment is to leverage research and teaching to benefit the community and the world-at-large, especially the 385 millions who survive on one dollar a day. Since the publication of their so-called “black book” (http://www.usm.my/my/apex%20download.asp) where USM laid out its vision on sustainability in higher education in Malaysia, other Malaysian universities have given the sustainable development agenda higher prominence. A top ranking official at the ministry of higher education reports that they now insist that universities seeking approval for courses must show how they have integrated sustainability into the curriculum. A survey at USM showed some 100 courses from across all fields claiming to have sustainability elements. There is also a trend of increasing the number of publications related to sustainability and climate change across the departments.

Project Results
Currently, USM has not given incentives to professors for output or work specifically based on sustainability nor provided special allocation for research on sustainability. It can be assumed that the university’s top management, especially the vice-chancellor and his four deputies, have done an excellent job selling their APEX University transformation plan to the faculty without compensation. In other words, many professors have bought into the idea of sustainability. According to its 2008 submission for APEX status, USM now needs to work on creating ownership across the whole spectrum or layers of the university, especially those at the lower levels of the organizational pyramid. In change management, change starts at the top, but real change happens at the bottom.
In late 2009, USM created the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), a think tank with responsibility for coordinating sustainability efforts on campus. The sustainability office, headed by a coordinator, is part of CGSS. In addition, the Healthy Campus office continues fostering the sustainability agenda of student groups as long as the efforts are within the framework of volunteerism. One ongoing effort is a proposal by a group of biology students to start an organic farm on campus. Another ongoing effort is a project to turn the engineering campus into a truly sustainable campus. Moreover, green  buildings  are a major goal on  the  agenda, especially  at  the  new  science  and  arts  park  called SAINSatUSM   about  10  minutes  away  from  the main campus in Penang. Many of the old buildings on the main campus are heritage buildings built by the British military when the site was a military camp and will be protected or restored according to appropriate conservation guidelines. A commitment has been made by the university to adopt the Green Building Index.

Additional Resources: Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2008, Transforming higher education for a sustainable tomorrow, http://www.usm.my/my/apex%20download.asp

ICIMU 2011 Fosters Research and Innovation on ICT

Putrajaya Sustainability and green living agenda have come to the forefront in many nations around the globe. The awareness in global climate change has prompted research and innovation in ICT, especially in the highly crucial area of data analysis. 
In line with the Malaysian governments aspirations with regards to green technology, the College of Information Technology (COIT), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) recently organised the 5th International Conference on Information Technology & Multimedia 2011 (ICIMu 2011). 

Dato Seri Prof. Mashkuri Yaacob, UNITEN Vice Chancellor, said that since its inception in 1998, ICIMu has become a platform for discourse excellence regarding ICT and multimedia technologies.In its 5th edition, ICIM 2011 has attracted more than 150 contributions from 24 countries. The research papers were reviewed by leading and international experts in the field and thus leading to a conference of exceptional quality with an acceptance rate of 50%, he added. With the theme Ubiquitous ICT for Sustainable and Green Living, ICIMu 2011 was privileged to have the presence of Prof. Dr. Richard Harris from Massey University, New Zealand. Prof. Dr. Richard Harris in his keynote, entitled ICT for Sustainable and Green Living, discussed the issues of sustainability and the need to make the planet greener by minimizing the use of non-renewable resources.

In addition, Dr Mohamed bin Awang Lah, (Chief Executive Officer, JARING Malaysia) and Prof. Dr. Rosni Abdullah (Dean, College of Computer Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia) in their keynotes also shared their vast experiences in their respective topics, Cloud Computing: Issues and Challenges and Innovating Green and Sustainable Services, respectively, with the participants.

 ICIMu 2011, which was officiated by Dr. Naimah Md Khalil, Director of Enforcement and Inspectorate, Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, has successfully achieved its objectives in bringing together academicians, entrepreneurs, business users and IT professionals to exchange ideas and to keep abreast with the latest developments in information technology and green technology towards better living. 
Source : Uniten

Make full use of ICT while adapting to changes

By : Calvin Yeo 

KUCHING: Graduates must make full use of the information communication technology to improve themselves while adapting to the changing environment.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said this would enable the creation of an excellent, quality and knowledgeable human capital that could help in realising the country’s vision of becoming an industrialised nation by 2020.
“The technology, economy and social development plays an important role in the country’s transformation.
“The graduates should feel blessed with the government policies, which have created many job and education opportunities,” he said at the 14th convocation of Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) and International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak (ICATS).

The text of his speech was read by Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.

Taib said as the country progressed, the government had come up with many strategies to meet the demand for more job opportunities.

He said skilled graduates were much sought after now as the country needed more skilled workers to achieve industrialised nation status.

“The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), which comprises various sectors, intends to attract foreign investment and to develop the state’s economy.

“It has attracted RM26.4bil of investment and so far, four international companies have sited their operations in SCORE,” he said, adding that SCORE had changed its surrounding landscape to one with ample infrastructure facilities.

He said SCORE would create more than one million job opportunities by 2030.

More than 400 graduates received their scrolls during the ceremony yesterday.

 Source : The Star Online

MELAKA: The state government received an allocation of RM50 million from the federal government to develop information, communication and technology (ICT) for a period of four years, from 2007 until March this year.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said through the allocation, four projects were implemented, namely broadband infrastructure in all the districts, an integrated network pilot project, a project to narrow the digital divide and fiber optic broadband infrastructure.

"The state government also allocated RM2.7 million for the projects to ensure ICT keeps advancing every year," he said in reply to Ab Rahaman Ab Karim (BN-Pantai Kundor) during the state assembly here today.

He said the progress of ICT in the state was measured in the aspects of skills, infrastructure and content in the form of basic computer training encompassing computer usage, internet surfing and social media usage.

Mohd Ali said as at Sept 2011, 94 training programmes had been organised, involving 3,165 participants.

He said 715 locations were proposed in 2011 for the installation of WiFi at hotspots dan hotzones for residents.

According to data issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as at the second quarter of this year, 706 hotspots had been installed in the state.

He said the state government had also appointed Melaka ICT Holdings (MITCH) as a one-stop centre in the installation of the integrated telecommunication tower in the state.

Mohd Ali said there are 733 TM WiFi coverage areas throughout the state, most of which are located in Bandar Hilir with 294, and Ayer Keroh, with 166.

"The main criteria for the installation is supermarkets, business complexes, higher education institutions, tourist spots and transport centres," he said in reply to Chua Keng Hwa (BN-Bemban).

Mohd Ali said the consumer targets are professionals, officers, managers, business people, higher education students and domestic and foreign tourists. --BERNAMA

Sources :

News Straits Times Online

Information Technology Degree: 5 Jobs You Can Get With An It Degree

You've heard it all before: The Internet is booming, and with it the IT industry. However, all the hype doesn't necessarily tell you what you want to know: what kind of a future you will have with an information technology degree. Here are five jobs you can get with an IT degree.

Technical Support: Technical support personnel provide assistance with confusing or complicated technical systems. The customer might need help with their personal computer, or their business's computer network. Technical support's job is to diagnose the problem, usually over the phone or the Internet via an instant messenger program, and explain to the customer how to troubleshoot the problem step-by-step.

Because technical support personnel work remotely to diagnose and fix computer and software glitches, often with frustrated or irritable customers, they need to be highly qualified for the job. An information technology degree ensures that you know computer systems well enough to correctly diagnose the problem, saving time and further frustration on the customer's part.

Keep in mind that technical support personnel also need to be good with people. You will need patience for dealing with impatient, frustrated customers, as well as the ability to translate your technical knowledge into terms the average customer will understand.

Computer Programmer: Computer programmers need more computer skills and less people skills than technical support personnel, since most of their work is done with the computer alone. A computer programmer needs an information technology degree because he or she needs to be well versed in all aspects of modern computer technology, in particular the various programming languages that are currently used.

Technical Consultant: Because companies hire technical consultants on a contract basis, this job grants you the freedom of working for yourself. As an added bonus, consultants also generally command a high hourly rate.

As a technical consultant, companies will hire you to perform specific jobs, such as setting up or performing work on the company's computer network. In this capacity, an information technology degree will be invaluable, as it gives you credibility and makes companies feel confident about contracting your services.

Database Administrator: Many companies, especially large companies, require huge databases in order to manage and store all of their data. These companies usually have one or more database administrators on staff, or work with administrators on a contract basis. As a database administrator, an IT degree ensures that you are up-to-date on modern technology such as Oracle, SQL, and other similar platforms.

Information Technology Instructor: As long as there are plenty of IT jobs to go around, there will also be a demand for instructors. Getting your information technology degree also allows you to turn around and use it to teach other students who are interested in breaking into the industry.

An information technology degree opens up many doors. The IT industry is booming and the number of jobs is always increasing. The five jobs listed above are only the tip of the iceberg. Our society's dependence on computers and the Internet means job security for anyone with an IT degree, not to mention high salary potential. Be sure to look into the possibilities. Getting your information technology degree just might be the best thing for your career that you've ever done.