Engineering excellence at SEGI
ENGINEERS are key to the development of a nation, and more so civil engineers as they need to utilise existing resources wisely for a sustainable future, says Professor David Blackwood of Abertay University in United Kingdom.
Blackwood, who is the head of the division of natural and built environment in the School of Science, Engineering and Technology, and Chair of Sustainable Development from Abertay, explained it was not only important for engineers to apply technical knowledge in their profession, but it was also equally crucial to understand the environment and social aspects of a project.
“Apart from calculation and analysis, students need to be able to master communication skills and understand the science behind environmental issues such as climate change,” he said after the soft launch for the inaugural intake of the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Civil Engineering in September, which is a Double Degree programme between Abertay University and SEGi University.
Priority is placed on graduates’ employability and work placements. Blackwood said work placements were built into the academic settings of the civil engineering undergraduate course.
The Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment (FoEBE) at SEGi aims to produce civil engineering graduates that are highly employable in the global construction industry or other related fields of the built environment.
FoEBE dean Professor Dr Jeffrey Chiang said graduates who were interested in lifelong learning could also pursue post-graduate qualifications while locals with adequate working experience could apply for engineer status from the Board of Engineers Malaysia.
The faculty offers an impressive range of engineering disciplines including automotive engineering, chemical engineering, electronic & electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, as well as quantity surveying, from Foundation and Diploma through to Bachelor’s, Master’s degrees and PhD.
SEGi University in its flagship campus, Kota Damansara has also recently launched a homegrown degree programme in architecture. Students in this discipline will gain valuable work experience in local or international firms as the university guarantees a placement for students to undergo six months industrial training.