Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

Infobox_University
name = Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia
native_name = Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia


image_size = 150px
motto = With Wisdom, We Explore
established = 1993
type = Public
chancellor = YTM Tunku Ibrahim Ismail ibni Sultan Iskandar Al-haj
Tunku Mahkota Johor
vice_chancellor = Profesor Dato' Dr. Hj. Ismail b. Hj. Bakar
city = Batu Pahat, Johor
country = Malaysia
campus = Urban
students =
website = http://www.uthm.edu.my

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) is a main university in Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. It was formerly known as Institut Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (ITTHO) and Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (KUiTTHO). Beginning 1 February 2007, along with other public university colleges, it was promoted to fully university status. The name, UTHM was officially launched by the education minister, Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Bin Tun Hussein.

Previously, UTHM was known as PLSP (Polytechnic Staff Training Centre or Pusat Latihan Staf Politeknik) was administered by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with the collaboration of the Ministry of Education through a memorandum of understanding signed on 28th July 1993. PLSP was housed at the former campus of the now-defunct Politeknik Batu Pahat, which remains to be the permanent campus of the university until today. On 12th April 1996 PLSP was upgraded and known as Institut Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (ITTHO). This announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

The Early Days of Establishment

The Polytechnic Staff Training Centre was established on the 16th September 1993 through a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and University of Technology Malaysia (UTM). The main reason for the establishment is to train lecturers for Ministry of Education polytechnics planned for the 6th Malaysia Plan (RM6) (EPU, 1991). The project was financed by the World Bank. The first batch of students was technical certificate holders of polytechnics and the program was for five years. Students were also required to take Masters in education before they can take up lecturing jobs in the polytechnics. On 14th May 1997, Malaysian Government has directed the centre to continue its operation and to produce lecturers for the 7th Malaysia Plan polytechnics. At the same time the centre was allowed to take students from the general public. The centre was also given a new name that is Tun Hussein Onn Institute of Technology (ITTHO). During the 1999/2000 academic session, 19 diploma courses, 15 first degree courses and 3 post - graduate programs in engineering and one in technical and vocational education was offered. On the 30 September 2000 ITTHO was upgraded to a university college.

The Malaysian Polytechnic Development Project is a multiyear project contracted by the Government of Malaysia to the Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities (MUCIA) based in Columbus, Ohio in the USA that seeks to expand the offerings and services of the Malaysian Polytechnic System through staff, facility, and curriculum development. In order to meet the industrial needs in Malaysia, the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia first determined the required areas of specialization and MUCIA provided substantial teaching and advisory services that assisted in the design of facilities, the determination of equipment specifications, and the preparation of curriculum and instructional materials. The Institut Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (ITTHO) is the administrative centre for the project. Between the period of 1995 to 1999, the actual person-months of lecturer and skill instructor teaching services provided by MUCIA combined was 1195 with an additional seven (7) person-months of short-term consultancy services.

The Early Management

The Polytechnic Staff Training Centre is managed by a joint management committee. This is strength of the centre; the joint committee consists of representative from UTM and the MOE. The committee’s unique joint representation that is from the academic in the form of UTM senior administrators and academics ensures that good support from UTM is readily accessible. The senior administrative staff of MOE ensures that full support from MOE is readily available. A lot of operational matters are settled quickly as the senior administrations from both sides are there to provide support. The support of UTM in term of academic training and development has contributed to the development and quality of staff at the centre. In term of infrastructure the MOE has spent another RM100 million and bought an additional 100 hectares of land to expand the campus. This would not be easy if the program is managed by UTM only or MOE only.

An Engineering Education Meeting Benchmarks Of International Academic Standards

In the area of curriculum development, the Malaysian Polytechnic Development Project seeks to upgrade the existing curricula, review and/or develop new courses, along with creating instructional materials that would enhance all courses. Moreover, a goal of this project is to plan for the optimum use of facilities and equipment by preparing equipment specifications and formulating workshop layouts. In order to become part of the international community of engineering and technology, connections to thirty-one (31) world-class universities in the United States and United Kingdom were made in order to further contribute to the development of the computerization of the institutional processes and library resources.

Coupled with the technological development of Internet services and expertise provided by MUCIA consultants, the facility, knowledge, and usage at the conclusion of this project this project accomplished the goals for regular interaction and access to top level foreign universities by the ITTHO faculty.

Meeting The Needs Of Malaysian Industry

The knowledgeable Malaysian polytechnic instructors pursue their goals with perseverance and determination. In order to make a mark in the highly competitive regional and global markets, they train individuals who are aware of the latest technological innovations and know how to capitalize on the growth of industry in Malaysia. To insure that curricula content and instructional materials are valid and current to the industrial needs in Malaysia, division leaders and instructors are working long hours alongside their MUCIA counterparts, generating plans of study, class syllabi, and class materials. Individual programs of mentoring, tutoring, and professional development organized by the MUCIA consultants are highly successful. In addition, MUCIA consultants are leading small groups in learning the newest teaching strategies that will enable the polytechnic instructors to prepare students to become a technically skilled work force that can meet the demands of industry and commerce in the 21st Century. This partnership also works together to make industry contacts, an extremely important and essential part of the polytechnic curriculum. There is no shortage of dedication on the part of the polytechnic staff. This training will continue to grow and expand in order to meet the demands of industry and commerce in the next millennium.

Professional Development

A professional development program for the senior administration of ITTHO and the Ministry of Education was completed on September 1997. This intensive program of workshops, seminars, and observation visits were successfully completed by the Assistant Secretary of Development, Privatisation Supply Division, Ministry of Education, and from ITTHO, the Director, Deputy Director (Academic), and Department Heads from Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Science & Education. This program combined workshops on managing university academic programs, facilities, and staff with both instructional and industry visits. These visits provided observation of best practices in university administration as well as knowledge of new and emerging technological development with the assistance of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

A Successful Partnership With MUCIA Consortium

An example of the successful partnership between Malaysian resource personnel and MUCIA consultants can be seen in the Malaysian Curriculum Development Project conducted during the summer of 1999. In the initial phase of this project, twelve (12) Malaysian resource personnel arrived in the United States, met their MUCIA counterparts, and examined programs, curricula, instructional materials, and facilities in their respective departments. After completing these tasks, they returned to their home polytechnics. Subsequently, MUCIA resource personnel traveled to Malaysia where they worked closely with their Malaysian counterparts developing and/or reviewing curricula in their subject area. Concurrently, a counselor training component was conducted in Kuala Lumpur and included intensive workshops on the skills of personal and career counseling for Malaysian instructors who will also serve as counselors for their home polytechnics.

The MOE has established the Polytechnic Staff Training Centre through a memorandum of understanding signed on the 28th July 1993 between the MOE and University Technology of Malaysia (UTM) (EPU, 1996). The next important part of the project is staffing the centre with suitable lecturers and technical trainers, as this is a special project focusing on solving specific problems. The lecturers must be of appropriate qualifications to ensure good academic program that is recognised by the professional body, i.e. Board of Engineers, Malaysia, and they should also be trained to be qualified technical lecturers who are able to provide practical training to students of polytechnics to produce graduates that are competent in theory and practical. Due to the unique set up of the centre, collaboration between MOE and UTM, these two requirements are easily met as the centre is staffed by loan academic lecturers from UTM and also loan technical lecturers from the polytechnics. In areas where special experts are required, MUCIA will source the staff world-wide, thus the centre possessed the following combination of technical lecturers:

• Lecturers from UTM have vast experience and expertise in academic teaching and research at the university level, this has enhanced the academic research capability of the centre. This has also allowed the centre to start post graduate studies in engineering by research.

• Technical lecturers from the polytechnics have the experience of conducting practical biased programs at certificate and diploma level and this has helped the centre to offer practical biased programs which is needed to fulfil the needs of the polytechnics programs.

• Lecturers sourced by MUCIA with their own unique and special experience in foreign university especially in United States and England. This has helped the centre to acquire some international expertise in specific areas which has enriched the programs, enable technology transfer and also provide international experience to it.

This combination of various backgrounds of lecturers, expertise and experiences makes the centre unique and beneficial to the Ministry of Education polytechnics. The institution promotes technological training and transfer of technology through the different background and expertise of its staff. The other unique feature is the existence of Masters of Education in Technical Education in an engineering institution. The Masters of Education program is offered to fulfil the Ministry of Education's service requirements. Its existence enhances the expertise of the centre in technical teacher training.

The Progress Towards A Full Fledged University

Subsequently, realizing its contribution as a global player towards the scientific and technological civilization, ITTHO obtained its university status recognition. On 27th September 2000 under the University and University College Act 1972 Section 20 the Cabinet endorsed the institution as Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (KUiTTHO). This historical announcement was made by the former Minister of Education, YB Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Musa bin Mohammad on 30th September 2000.

As the 15th public university, UTHM has leapt to a new era and ready to shoulder and responsibility as a centre of ultimate academic excellence and respected nationally, aligned with the mission of the University, “To produce and train technologist as well as professionals who are creative, innovative, competent and responsible and able to apply, explore and lead new technologies through the world class teaching and research for the benefit of mankind”.

Faculties

1. Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering [http://wap.uthm.edu.my/fkaas/web/en/home.php]
2. Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering [http://fkee.uthm.edu.my/english/index.html]
3. Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering [http://fkmp.uthm.edu.my/]
4. Faculty of Technology Management [http://wap.uthm.edu.my/fpt/]

5. Faculty of Technical Education [http://www.uthm.edu.my/fptek/index.htm]
6. Faculty of Information Technology and Multimedia [http://fatekma.kuittho.edu.my/english/]

Senior Officers

Vice Cansellor : Y.Bhg. Profesor Dato' Dr Hj Ismail bin Hj Bakar

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic & Internationalization) : Profesor Dr. Hashim bin Saim

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumnus) : Profesor Ir. Dr. Amir Hashim bin Mohd.Kassim

Registrar : Sulam bin Hamid

Bursar : Hj Abu Bakar bin Hussain

Chief Librarian: Bharun Narosid bin Mat Zin

Accommodation

Currently , there are 5 residential colleges available that could accommodate up to 5000 students which caters mostly for juniors . Seniors which wished to extend the two-year staying period will have to apply to respective hostel management .

Within the Main campus

* Tun Syed Nasir Residential College
* Tun Dr. Ismail Residential College
* Tun Fatimah Residential College

Outside Main campus

* Perwira Apartment
* Melewar Park ( Taman Melewar )

Student Organizations

There are quite a number of students organizations in the university . Since the university is still in its infant stage , although lacking in space and facilities , the student affairs office and sports centre have provided great assistance to meet the demand of the ever-growing students population and help build up new organizations . The sports clubs are actively involved in annual inter-universities sports tournament( MASUM ) and various other open championships to bring honour to the universities . Below is the list of some notable organizations :

*UTHM "Student Representative Council ( MPP )"

*UTHM "Palapes squad ( Student Army )"
*UTHM "Kor Suksis ( Student Police )"

*UTHM "Football" team
*UTHM "Basketball" team
*UTHM "Volleyball" team
*UTHM "Netball" team
*UTHM "Futsal" team
*UTHM "Hockey" team
*UTHM "Badminton" team
*UTHM "Lawn Bowl" team
*UTHM "Athletic" team
*UTHM "Kayakers - Kayak" team
*UTHM "Paddlers - Rowing" team
*UTHM "Adventure Club" - one of the most active clubs that cater to outdoor-going students , all years round activities such as mountain expeditions , wall climbing training are organised during holidays and weekends .
*UTHM "Taekwondo" Club ( ITF & WTF )
*UTHM "Karate" Club
*UTHM "English Debate" Club
*UTHM "Bahasa Malaysia Debate" Club
*UTHM "Mandarin Debate" Club
*UTHM "Secretariat of Institute of Engineering Malaysia (SIEM") - with the Institute of Engineering Malaysia (IEM) as its affliate , the club activities are organised to promote understanding between budding engineer and real-world engineers .
*UTHM "Secretariat of Unity" - it consists of 3 biro that cater to Malaysia ethic cultures - Malay , Chinese & Indian which actively organise cultural events to promote unity and understanding among students .
*UTHM "Mechanical Engineering" Club
*UTHM "Electrical Engineering" Club
*UTHM "Civil Engineering" Club
*UTHM "ROBOCON" team - the robotics clubs have been actively participate in national level robotics contest aka ROBOCON since the inception of the contest in 2002 . Improvement and evolution in terms of technology have been tremendous since then , the club is looking forward to challenge strongly for the honour of national champion .

External links

[http://www.uthm.edu.my Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia]