UPM Bintulu rebranding to boost Sarawak's higher education autonomy, says Dr Rundi

Dr Rundi speaks to the media during the doorstop interview while flanked by his deputies Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail (right) and Datuk Martin Ben.
KUCHING (June 18): Sarawak will be able to chart the course of its own higher education direction and priorities, particularly in key fields such as agriculture, veterinary science and renewable energy, following the upcoming rebranding of Universiti Putra Malaysia Sarawak Bintulu Campus (UPMKB) to UPM Sarawak (UPMS), said Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
The State Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development Minister said the transformation, set to be formalised in a proclamation ceremony at the Istana Alam Shah in Selangor this June 30, marked a significant milestone in Sarawak's long-term vision of developing its own education ecosystem that is tailored to the state's development needs and aspirations.
'When the university is declared as UPM Sarawak, Sarawak would be in a better position to plan and implement academic programmes that respond directly to the needs of the state.
'We can plan for our very own school of veterinary medicine, and other specialised programmes such as those related to agriculture, green energy, hydrogen and other fields that are important to us,' he told reporters when met after officiating the Sarawak Department of Agriculture Appreciation Ceremony here today.
Dr Rundi, who will be accompanying Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to the proclamation ceremony, described the upcoming declaration as a 'dream come true' for Sarawak.
He said Abang Johari had expressed readiness to assist UPM in managing the Bintulu campus, given its distance from the university's main campus in Peninsular Malaysia.
'Previously, His Majesty the Sultan of Selangor had mentioned in a conversation that UPM Bintulu Campus sits on a large piece of land and has produced many graduates over the years and whether it would be possible for Sarawak to look after the campus.
'So, the Premier said it should not be a problem, and the state would try to assist UPM because it (Bintulu campus) is quite far from Peninsular Malaysia,' he said.
He said further details on matters such as fees and governance would be worked out in due course, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that UPM Sarawak is fully integrated into Sarawak's vision for education and talent development.
'Maybe we are going to develop it the same way we have done so with our state-owned universities.
'Right now, we already have Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia and so on. So, we will have more universities belonging to Sarawak,' he said.
Last month, a delegation from UPM paid a courtesy call to Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi to formally invite them to attend the proclamation ceremony of UPMS on June 30.
According to the Head of State's official Facebook page, the ceremony to mark the rebranding of the university is in recognition of Sarawak's significant role in the development of national higher education. dr stephen rundi higher education autonomy UPM Bintulu

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