Universiti Teknologi Petronas

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Petronas University of Technology
Universiti Teknologi Petronas
Motto: Engineering Futures
Established: 10 January 1997
Type: Private university
Chancellor: YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad
Rector: YBhg Datuk Dr. Zainal Abidin Haji Kasim
Pro-chancellor: YBhg Tan Sri Dato Sri (Dr) Mohd Hassan Marican
Students: Approximately 6000 undergraduates and a smaller number of postgraduates
Location: Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia
Nickname: UTP
Affiliations: ASAIHL
Website: www.utp.edu.my

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (Abbreviation: UTP; English: Petronas University of Technology) was established on 10 January 1997 when Petronas was invited by the Government of Malaysia to set up a university.

Contents

[edit] History

The university was initially known as Institute of Technology Petronas (ITP) and was a wholly owned subsidiary of Petronas, the national oil company of Malaysia. It was registered with the Ministry of Education on 26 April 1995 and obtained approval under the "Essential Higher Education Institute Regulation 1996". ITP began its operations at PERMATA, Bangi, Selangor on 3 July 1995. On 26 July 1995, ITP was registered as a private limited company and transferred its operations to Tronoh in the state of Perak, on 1 July 1996. Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) was established on 10 January 1997 when Petronas was invited by the Malaysian government to set up a university.

The campus is built on a 4 km² (1,000 acre) site strategically located at Bandar Seri Iskandar, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia. When UTP firstly moved to Tronoh, it took over the campus of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)'s engineering faculty, which has since moved to their new campus in Penang. In its initial years, lectures, lab sessions and tutorials were held in the old USM facilities, and UTP gradually shifted all operations to newer facilities once construction was completed.

The university has just concluded its 7th convocation ceremony on 27 August 2007. This year, a total of 848 UTP students graduated in their respective fields of studies. Of these, 792 were undergraduate students in various fields, namely Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business Information Systems and Information and Communication Technology while 56 were postgraduates students majoring in Petroleum Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Information and Communication Technology . Receipients of this year's Chancellor's Awards are Mr. Fairuz Azman (Gold), Ms. Lai Chan Yet (Silver) and Mr. Ang Ken Li (Bronze)

The New Academic Complex of Universiti Teknologi Petronas.
The New Academic Complex of Universiti Teknologi Petronas.

[edit] Facilities

Layout of the new academic complex
Layout of the new academic complex

[edit] New Academic Complex

The new academic complex was designed by Foster and Partners, and the first-phase construction was completed in 2004. The overall layout of the new academic complex is in the shape of a 5-pointed star made up by 5 semi-circles. The new academic complex was officially opened by the former chairman of Petronas and ITPSB Board, Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Azizan Zainul Abidin. Currently, almost all of the academic activities have been shifted to the new campus.

The front-most point of the star where the new academic complex is facing is the elliptical chancellor complex. The chancellor complex houses the chancellor hall, the information resource center, security department, finance department and some of the other important administrative department offices. It is affectionately dubbed the "UFO building" by the students due to its futuristic design.

Another two points of the new academic complex is where the buildings commonly known as Pocket C and Pocket D is situated.

Pocket C is an orange building with a slanting foyer look. Cafeteria, clinic, bookshop, prayer rooms and security office are located at the ground floor of the building. The first and second floor of the building consist of 2 computer-aided design theatres and 4 lecture theaters.

Pocket D is a blue building with the same architectural design as Pocket C. The ground floor of the building is where cafeteria, the UTP Gallery, and the Student Card Centre are located. The first floor and second floor are seated by 6 lecture theaters. The Student Support and Services Department (SSSD) and prayer rooms are located at the third floor of the building.

Pocket A and Pocket B are another two buildings at the points of the new academic complex. They are yet to be built.

Along the perimeter of each semi-circles, there are several buildings at the outer of the new academic complex. Each building is assigned to a programme. Some programmes has several buildings. The buildings are named with numbers. On the way from the chancellor complex to Pocket D, the buildings are Building 23, Building 22, Building 21 and Building 20. From Pocket D to Pocket C, the buildings are Building 19 up to Building 15. From Pocket C to Pocket B that is yet to be built, only Building 14 and Building 13 are available and are in use now. From the chancellor complex to the not-yet-built Pocket A, there are Building 1 up to Building 5.

The numbered buildings are generally similar in design. The ground, first and second floor of the buildings consists of laboratories and discussion rooms. The third floor of the buildings is always the lecturers' offices.

[edit] Sports complex

Students at the sports complex.
Students at the sports complex.

The university has a centralized sport facilities, commonly known as the sports complex. It is located near the main entrance gate. It consists of a swimming pool, several soccer fields, three takraw courts, a basketball court, five tennis courts, three volleyball courts, four squash courts, three badminton courts, a jogging track and a netball court.

In general, students participate actively in sports, with the most popular sports being soccer and futsal.

[edit] Computer, network and internet access

Almost all dorms in the hostels in UTP are provided with network sockets with Local Area Network (LAN) and broadband internet access through a central server maintained by the Information Technology and Media Services (ITMS) Department.

Beginning 1 February 2007, wireless internet access is provided to UTP students at most of the places inside the campus and residential complex.

Besides, the network and internet are also accessible through the IT sections in the information resource center, and also computer labs in each academic building in the new academic complex. Self printing services are also available in the computer labs.

[edit] Education

The foundation programmes are offered for students that enroll to UTP with SPM level or other equivalent levels to prepare them for degree programmes. Newly enrolled students with STPM level or other equivalent levels are exempted from the foundation programmes. Other newly enrolled diploma graduades are exempted from certain courses according to their academic performance and courses taken during their diploma programmes.

Currently, UTP offers two foundation programmes, five bachelor engineering degree programmes and two bachelor technology degree programmes.

[edit] Academic circulations

In UTP, there are two semesters a year. A semester starts in January or July, with 14 weeks of studies per semester, divided by a one-week mid-semester break and ends with 3 weeks of final examination. The end of the semester is followed by a 7-week semester break.

[edit] Foundation programmes

The foundation programmes offered in UTP are engineering foundation programme and technology foundation programme. As the names suggest, the engineering foundation programme prepares the students to continue with engineering degree programmes in UTP, whereas the technology foundation programme is a preparation programme for students to pursue their studies in technology degree programmes.

[edit] Undergraduate degree programmes

The engineering degree programmes take a total of four years to complete (including internship), while technology degree programmes take three and a half years.

The seven degree programmes offered are:

Majors offered as of 2006:
  1. Instrumentation and Control
  2. Power Systems Engineering
  3. Computer Systems Engineering
  4. Communication Systems
  5. Microelectronics
Majors offered as of 2006:
  1. Industrial Environmental Engineering
  2. Process Plant Engineering
  3. Gas and Petrochemical Engineering
  4. Petroleum Engineering
  5. Process Analysis and Control
Majors offered as of 2006:
  1. Building Construction Technology
  2. Urban Engineering
  3. Environmental Engineering
  4. Offshore Structures and Oceanography
  5. Petroleum Engineering
Majors offered as of 2006:
  1. Automotive
  2. Energy
  3. Manufacturing
  4. Materials
  5. Petroleum
Majors offered as of 2007:
  1. Reservoir Studies
  2. Drilling and Production Operations
Majors offered as of 2006:
  1. Virtual Reality & Multimedia
  2. Software Engineering
Minors offered as of 2006:
  1. Financial Management
  2. Corporate Management
  3. Digital Electronics
Majors offered as of 2006:
  1. E-Business
  2. Knowledge Management
Minors offered as of 2006:
  1. Financial Management
  2. Corporate Management

[edit] Postgraduate degree programmes

UTP also offers postgraduate degree programmes by research, and by coursework and dissertation.

The programmes offered by research are:

The Master of Science programmes offered by coursework and dissertation are:

[edit] Student industrial internship programme

UTP offers one of the longest industrial internship programmes in the country. The students are posted as interns for 32 weeks (approximately 8 months). The length of the internship duration allows students to engage in more significant work assignments and is widely thought as a major strength of the academic curriculum.

[edit] Student accommodation

One of the rooms in Village 2: this is the picture of a single bed Village 2 room. 90% of rooms in the old-complex (Village 1, Village 2, and Old-Village 5) are double bed rooms
One of the rooms in Village 2: this is the picture of a single bed Village 2 room. 90% of rooms in the old-complex (Village 1, Village 2, and Old-Village 5) are double bed rooms

Almost all students reside in residential colleges within the campus grounds, except for a rare few who choose to stay off-campus. There are a total of six residential colleges, called Villages:

[edit] Village 1

A group of hostel buildings, only slightly newer than Old Village 5. Usually, visitors to the campus will see this village first, since it is located nearest to the main gates. There is a small, privately owned laundry service located here, which is reasonably priced and generally reliable. The cafeteria in Village 1 has one of the cheapest menus on campus.

Village 1 is located just by walking distance to the Old USM cafe which provide CIMB Bank (formerly known as Bumiputra-Commerce Bank) ATM, mini post office, convenience shop and a cafeteria which known as "USM café". USM café have its own specialty for wide variety of western food for very reasonable price.

[edit] Village 2

The Village 3 cafeteria. In the background is one of the Village 3 apartment blocks.
The Village 3 cafeteria. In the background is one of the Village 3 apartment blocks.

Previously known as Lembaran village while the campus was under the administration of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Similar in architectural style to Village 1, but located deeper within the campus grounds at the base of a small hill. Conveniently located near the on-campus gas station.


[edit] Villages 3 and 4

Villages 3 and 4 are new, apartment style hostels, located near the new academic campus buildings. Village 3 is located on higher ground, overlooking Village 4. Each village has its own cafeteria, and there is a small convenience store located in Village 4.

[edit] Village 5

The newest residential college which is located furthest from the gate, deep inside the campus, it originally consisted of three apartment-style hostel blocks (Blocks A, B and C, all for male students). Upon completion of the second phase in 2005, it has been expanded to ten residential blocks (four of them for girls) and a central cafe/meeting area/office structure, complete with a small artificial pond. There is also a privatized laundry service.

Village 6 corridor, taken in 2001.
Village 6 corridor, taken in 2001.

[edit] Village 6 (formerly Old Village 5)

Originally a collection of temporary residential buildings used by USM students, this village is the oldest residential college and is slowly being phased out as students are moved to more modern facilities elsewhere on campus.

Many of the blocks are no longer in use. Currently used only due to unavailability of rooms in other villages, Old V5 houses Foundation Year students. Yearly, during Convocation, it is used as temporary hostels for graduating students.

Previously used to accommodate students from the latest intake due to a lack of available rooms, but with the completion of the second phase of the new Village 5, many blocks are no longer in use.

As of January 2008, the name Old V5 has been officially changed to Village 6, the former is still more fondly used nevertheless.

[edit] Community

A majority of the students are local, but there are significant numbers of foreign students studying in the university as well. The foreign students are froM Cambodia, Chad, East Timor, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Iran,Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sudan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen. A large number of students, local and international, study under convertible loans or scholarships from the Education Sponsorship Unit of Petronas itself.

Besides international students, there are also international lecturers and tutors in UTP. Their are from France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan and Turkmenistan.

[edit] Clubs and Societies

There are several clubs and societies inside the campus. The main student organization of UTP would be the MPPUTP (Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar UTP) or SRCUTP (Student Representative Council of UTP). The main objective of the organization is to represent the students in all aspects related, and this includes welfare, entrepreneurship, promotion and publication, sports and recreation, public relations and so on.

  • Main
  1. Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar UTP (MPPUTP)
  2. Residential College Support Unit (RCSU)
  3. Rakan Masjid (RM)
  • Academic
  1. Electrical and Electronics Engineering Sociey (EEES)
  2. ICheme Club
  3. MechE Club
  4. SynTech
  5. UCity
  • Others
  1. Bowling Club
  2. Formula Society of Automotive Engineering Club (FSAE)
  3. International Culture Club (ICC)
  4. International Electrical and Electronics Engineering Club (IEEE)
  5. International Students Committee (ISC)
  6. Kelab Kembara
  7. Media and Technology Club (MEDTECH)
  8. Persatuan Seni Silat Cekak Malaysia (PSSCM)
  9. Persatuan Seni Silat Gayong Malaysia (PSSGM)
  10. Robocon Club
  11. Rotaract Club
  12. Sekretariat Rakan Muda (SRM)
  13. Shito-Ryu Karate Club
  14. UTP Taekwondo Club
  15. Silat Olahraga UTP (SOU)
  16. Society of Petroleum Engineers UTP (SPE)
  17. Tronoh Theatre Shop (TTS)
  18. UTP Orchestra (UTPO)

[edit] Events

Events are usually organised by clubs and societies, generally costing up to tens of thousands of ringgit.

  • Main Events
  1. ConvoFair
  2. Engineering Design Exhibition (EDX)
  3. Technology, Education and Carrier Week (TEC)
  • Other Events
  1. Career Development Carnival (CDC)
  2. Euphonious
  3. Heart for Islam (H4I)
  4. International Colourful Night (ICN)
  5. Intervillage Sports Tournament (IST)
  6. Kembara Sufi
  7. Malam Anugerah Kolej Kediaman (MAKK)
  8. Malam Inspirasi Seni
  9. Media Tour
  10. Minggu Aluan Siswa (MAS)
  11. Minggu Penghayatan Ramadan (MPR)
  12. RECMO
  13. Titian Budi
  14. UTP Futsal League
  15. UTP Soccer League
  16. Wawasan Desa

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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