George Town, 2 March 2019 – Located just a stone’s throw away from both DV and Aspen Vision City is UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College’s new campus, set to open its doors in September this year. The environmentally sound tertiary education establishment has been purpose-built and will be the centre of the state’s first university metropolis.

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College vice chancellor Prof. Dr Chong Beng Keok says construction on the 10-acre campus is 99% complete, with merely the finishing touches left to be done. “Operations will commence in September to prepare for our first intake of students in January 2020. Phase one of the campus (the current phase) will accommodate 3,000 students while phase two, which will be built later when the need arises, can accommodate another 2,000 students.

“The campus will be a green campus, modern and safe, with facilities that make learning convenient, comfortable and enjoyable. There are also informal activity areas designed to promote active discussions and learning beyond the classroom,” she says.

With academic programmes ranging from pre-university to master’s degree levels, UOW Malaysia KDU’s Batu Kawan campus offers courses in hospitality and tourism; information systems; business; and mass communication, to name but a few.

“We also want to position UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College as an institution known for its accounting, banking and finance programmes. Our programmes are work-and-community integrated, with strong focus on skills development.

UOW Malaysia KDU actively nurtures the spirit of entrepreneurship and our aim is to have our graduates job-ready,” Chong says, adding that Industry 4.0 skills would also be an area of emphasis in the new campus.

Anchored by the university college campus, Paramount Corp, UOW Malaysia KDU’s parent company, is developing Utropolis Batu Kawan – a self-contained integrated development spanning 44.3 acres containing residences, office and retail spaces, as well as an upcoming hotel.

The close proximity to the Batu Kawan Industrial Park will also encourage synergy with strong industry players through internships and other professional activities. “UOW Malaysia KDU’s academic staff would benefit as well, as they will be able to collaborate with these companies located at the industrial park for joint research projects, benefiting the economy and the community as a whole,” she adds.

Chong explains that the recent share purchase agreement between Paramount and the University of Wollongong (UOW) in November last year has the potential to enhance Malaysia’s value as a tertiary education destination for both Malaysians and foreign students. “The agreement involves UOW taking up a 65% stake in the business and operations of UOW Malaysia KDU University College and UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College, and a 70% stake of that in UOW Malaysia KDU College.

“The partnership is still awaiting approval from the Ministry of Education, but we are optimistic because this is a venture with a ranked Australian public university. Should the green light be given, UOW Malaysia KDU will leverage on UOW’s network as a global multi-campus university and its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes,” she says, adding that the partnership could see UOW helping Penang grow as an education tourism destination.