By Asmahanim Amir
Pix Kamarul Arifin Mohd Sanusi

BANGI, 1^st Jan 2016 – The National University of Malaysia (UKM) will be offering new postgraduate programmes at the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) on Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Energy Technology and Safety, Security and Safeguards (3S) this year.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali said the programme is in addition to a series of lectures by the South Korea Nuclear Association (KNA) through  renewing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UKM and KNA.

“This MoU would be in the best position to support UKM, especially through the FST for human resource development,” he said in his speech at the MoU signing Ceremony here on Dec 17, 2015.

He said he had gone through the successful report of the previous MoU activities and he thanked  the KNA for all the support given to both the academic staff and students.

“Hopefully, through this continuing cooperation, there will be enhanced development in the education and training, attachments of staffs and students (internship), exchange of information as well as cooperation between expert and professionals from South Korea and the academia at UKM,” he said.

He stated that that UKM senate had approved the setting up of the Centre for Nuclear Technology at FST in early 2015 and he hoped the experience and technical know-how from the nuclear industries in South Korea and the nuclear programme at UKM will be enhanced to prepare Malaysia’s workforce for Nuclear Energy and related programmes in 2016.

“In the long term, we hope that this cooperation will involve the Centre for Nuclear Technology (FST-UKM) in particular and Malaysian Nuclear Power Cooperation and the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board in general, so that the Korean nuclear industry experience can be shared with researchers and nuclear specialists in Malaysia,” he explained.

The renewed MoU between UKM-KNA includes a technical visit programme and academic training in the field of Nuclear Engineering for lecturers of the Nuclear Science programme from FST and placement of lecturers and students at the university and a South Korean company under the KNA.

Besides that are the involvement of students and lecturers of FST in conference and congresses sponsored by the KNA and backing students for scholarships in Korea and a nuclear research project at UKM.