Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Encyclopedia
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (University of Malaysia, Sarawak) or UNIMAS was officially incorporated on 24 December 1992. UNIMAS is Malaysia's eighth University
, established just after the declaration of Vision 2020
. Recently, UNIMAS has been ranked at 191st in Asian University Rankings 2011 by QS World University Rankings®.
The University took in its first students numbering 118 in 1993 with the opening of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Resource Science and Technology. These students were temporarily located at Kolej Latihan Telekom, Simpang Tiga
, Kuching
until in 1994 the University moved to its East Campus in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak
. The University’s East Campus at Kota Samarahan was officially launched by the Prime Minister, YAB Dato’Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on Independence Day, 31 August 1993.
The University consists of eight Faculties, three Institutes and seven Centres.
UNIMAS was awarded ISO 9001: 2000 quality certificate by SIRIM
.
An international competition was held for the masterplan design of the West Campus. The winning design was by Peter Verity (PDRc) the international architect, who after detailed environmental analysis chose the site for the West Campus. The objective of the plan was to create an environmentally sustainable urban campus which, in the manner of Louvain-la-Neuve, would form the centre of a significant university new town. The interface between the fresh water and saltwater systems of the site are expected to give the opportunity to create a biodiversity of considerable richness.('World Architecture', Issues 10/11,1996)
The opening of the new West Campus by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi on April 18, 2006 was witnessed by 10,000 students, staff and members of the public. The event was also broadcast live over RTM1.
Today, UNIMAS’ strength in research is being acknowledged by peers in at least three niche areas of research:
is the student representative body for students at the University Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia. It is the ultimate legislative body among the students. A general election is held every year to elect representatives to the Student Representative Council.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, established just after the declaration of Vision 2020
Vision 2020
Vision 2020 or Vision 2020 for Science is a program in South Carolina that was formed to reshape Roper Mountain Science Center into an "alluring science education facility, one that is state of the art for science and learning, one that is exciting and rigorous, and one that appeals to range of...
. Recently, UNIMAS has been ranked at 191st in Asian University Rankings 2011 by QS World University Rankings®.
The University took in its first students numbering 118 in 1993 with the opening of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Resource Science and Technology. These students were temporarily located at Kolej Latihan Telekom, Simpang Tiga
Simpang Tiga
Simpang Tiga is a small township located 5 km south of Bagan Datoh, in Perak, one of the 13 states of Malaysia. This Township is formed by only a few rows of shop houses and a few hundred families, most of them farmers...
, Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
until in 1994 the University moved to its East Campus in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. The University’s East Campus at Kota Samarahan was officially launched by the Prime Minister, YAB Dato’Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on Independence Day, 31 August 1993.
The University consists of eight Faculties, three Institutes and seven Centres.
UNIMAS was awarded ISO 9001: 2000 quality certificate by SIRIM
Sirim
SIRIM Berhad, formerly known as the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia , is a corporate organisation owned wholly by the Malaysian Government, under the Minister of Finance Incorporated...
.
An international competition was held for the masterplan design of the West Campus. The winning design was by Peter Verity (PDRc) the international architect, who after detailed environmental analysis chose the site for the West Campus. The objective of the plan was to create an environmentally sustainable urban campus which, in the manner of Louvain-la-Neuve, would form the centre of a significant university new town. The interface between the fresh water and saltwater systems of the site are expected to give the opportunity to create a biodiversity of considerable richness.('World Architecture', Issues 10/11,1996)
The opening of the new West Campus by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi on April 18, 2006 was witnessed by 10,000 students, staff and members of the public. The event was also broadcast live over RTM1.
University Governance
- Vice Chancellor - Professor Datuk Dr Khairuddin bin Ab Hamid
- Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic & International) - Professor Dr Fatimah binti Abang
- Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni) - Professor Mohd Fadzil bin Abdul Rahman
- Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) - Professor Dr Peter Songan
- Registrar - Mr. Ahmad Katang
- Bursar - Tuan Hj. Mazlan Kiflie
- Development Director - Mr. Humphrey Rayang Janang
- Chief Librarian - Mdm. Margaret Simeng
Niche Areas of Research and Development
UNIMAS commitment to research has already been recognized by the stakeholders and partners in industry by the provision of endowments for the establishment of eight research chairs; these include the Tun Zaidi Chair for Medicinal Chemistry, the Tun Openg Chair for Sago Technology, the Shell Chair for Environmental Studies, and the Sapura Chair for ICT.Today, UNIMAS’ strength in research is being acknowledged by peers in at least three niche areas of research:
- Biotechnological research in epidemiology (dengue, JE, FMHD, malaria), biogeography (phylogenetics) and agriculture (sago);
- ICT, specifically on rural communication and image analysis; and
- Biodiversity, natural resource and environmental management.
- Image Analysis and Spatial Technologies
Award-winning research & projects
International awards received (in recent years) in research/innovations include:- Industry Innovators Award for System Development and Applications awarded by Society for Satellite Professional International (E-Bario Project)
- E Asia Award under category Bridging Digital Divide (E-Bario Project)
- Mondialogo Engineering Award 2005: Special Jury Recognition Award
- 34th Geneva International Invention Exposition 2006 — Special Award, Gold, Silver and Bronze
- Gold Medal for E-Bario Project — Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM), 2006, Australia
E-Bario Project
The project set out to define the extent to which contemporary ICTs could deliver sustainable human development to remote rural communities in Sarawak. It aims to identify further needs and opportunities within such communities that can be satisfied by the innovative use of ICTs and, through action–oriented measures, to demonstrate how significant and sustainable development can be achieved by remote communities through such implementations. Bario was chosen for the research on the basis that it is highly isolated and remote, and that UNIMAS is known to the community from previous research into the bio-diversity of its locale. The community in Bario readily expressed its willingness to participate. The intention, however, is to work with several remote communities throughout Sarawak.Awards won for e-Bario
- Prime Minister's Award
- SSPI US Industry Innovators Award
- AFACT’s (Asia Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) eASIA Award
- E-Bedian Project: The success of eBario Project leads to the implementation of E-Bedian. The village of Long Bedian is situated in Baram, Miri division. It occupies an area of 15,456 m². At present, there are 1,578 people living in the 150 homes/houses in the village. The majority of the population in Long Bedian are Kayans.
Students' Union
The UNIMAS Student Representative CouncilUNIMAS Student Representative Council
The UNIMAS Student Representative Council is the official students' union of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak , representing the interests of its members to the university and the outside world. It is better known in UNIMAS by its acronym, MPP UNIMAS...
is the student representative body for students at the University Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia. It is the ultimate legislative body among the students. A general election is held every year to elect representatives to the Student Representative Council.