Tianjin University-Universiti Malaysia Pahang Research and Education Forum was held by the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology of Tianjin University and the Faculty of Chemical and Process Technology Engineering of Universiti Malaysia Pahang on February 8, 2023. The theme of the forum is “Exploring New Frontiers in Sustainable Chemical Engineering Research and Education”.
During the online meeting, more than 70 experts and scholars from both universities held discussions on major issues including transformation of sustainable catalysts from laboratory to market and the challenges of integrating digitalization and sustainability into the curriculum. The forum ends with complete success, promoting the communication between the two universities and stimulating more potential for cooperation. It’s a successful effort in implementing the national high-level opening-up policy and promoting the high-quality development of “Belt and Road” initiative.
The opening ceremony started with a speech by Prof. Ts. Dr. Che Ku Mohammad Faizal Bin Che Ku Yahya, Dean of the Faculty of Chemical and Process Technology Engineering of Universiti Malaysia Pahang. He extended a warm welcome to the guests and reviewed the good cooperation between the two sides since 2020, with special emphasis on the successful establishment of the undergraduate joint training program in 2021. He hoped that this meeting would promote further exchange of ideas between the two sides in the field of research and education. Following that, Prof. Fan Xiaobin, Deputy Dean of the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology of Tianjin University delivered a speech. First, he briefly introduced the development of Tianjin University and its School of Chemical Engineering and Technology. Then, he spoke highly of the partnership established between Tianjin University and Universiti Malaysia Pahang, and suggested that cultivating future chemical talents is a common responsibility, exploration, and action of the global higher education community. He expressed the hope that the forum could gather wisdom to explore a new paradigm of global engineering education so as to create a better future for mankind. Besides, he sincerely invited the guests to come to Tianjin for a friendly visit.
The first part of the forum was presided over by Prof. Yang Dayong, Deputy Party Secretary of Tianjin University’s School of Chemical Engineering and Technology. The transformation of sustainable catalysts from laboratory to market was discussed by Prof. Zhang Peng and Prof. Huang Shouying from the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Prof. Mohd Hasbi Bin Ab Rahim, Dato Ts. Prof. Dr. Rosli Bin Mohd Yunus from Universiti Malaysia Pahang. Teachers from both sides held heated discussions on issues including the development of sustainable catalysts, challenges of commercial transformation, catalyst poisoning and deactivation, and talent cultivation in catalyst research. Besides, they shared their rich experiences in research and teaching like strengthening the school-enterprise cooperation network, boosting industry confidence through technological innovation, and updating the knowledge reserve closely with the cutting-edge technology of the discipline. Besides, it is encouraged to build holistic thinking and strengthen the cooperation of different research directions with the actual production process, to create an atmosphere encouraging the transformation and application of technological achievements, and to integrate the research achievements into the classroom teaching and other talent training links.
The second part of the forum was chaired by Senior Lecturer Ashwin Charles Benedict from the Faculty of Chemical and Process Technology Engineering of Universiti Malaysia Pahang. The challenges of integrating digitalization and sustainability into the curriculum was discussed by Professor Wang Jingtao and Senior Engineer Xiao Xiaoming from the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology of Tianjin University, and Professor Ts. Dr. Kamal Bin Yusoh and Associate Professor Ir. Dr Mohamad Rizza Bin Othman from Universiti Malaysia Pahang. The teachers of both sides held heated discussions on digitalization, digitization and digital transformation, digital applications in education, the balance between digitalization and practical experience, human-computer interaction in experimental teaching, construction of a sound digital education ecology, digitalization and artificial intelligence development in chemical engineering, embedding of sustainability in curriculum system, inculcation of sustainable development and the challenges of artificial intelligence towards traditional teaching.
In the closing ceremony, Senior Lecturer Rozaimi bin Abu Samah, Vice President of Universiti Malaysia Pahang, made a concluding speech first. He praised the forum as a platform for scholars from the two universities to share experiences and best practices and emphasized the importance of integrating the latest technologies into the training system to cultivate future-oriented chemical talents. Next, Professor Han You, Deputy Dean of the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology of Tianjin University made a statement, saying that the successful forum demonstrated the close attention of chemical engineers towards global sustainable development, and that they would make unremitting efforts to create a better environment for future generations. During the meeting, the attendees exchanged and learned from each other, further promoting the communication between the two universities and stimulating more potential for cooperation. In the end, the Tianjin University-Universiti Malaysia Pahang Research and Education Forum has come to a successful conclusion.
By School of Chemical Engineering and Technology of Tianjin University
Editors: Zhao Yifan, Sun Xiaofang
