Catapulting into the future
THE message from the recent World Economic Forum was loud and clear: the fourth industrial revolution is upon us and it is about to unleash wholesale changes as we have never experienced before.
Driverless cars and the increased role of robots in society are just some of the changes that we would be ushering in.
However, the dawn of the fourth industrial revolution must strictly comply with other initiatives that are being pursued now, such as sustainability, in line with climate change agreements.
The challenge of balancing the onslaught of advancements in technology has to be juggled with proper management of energy that ensures sustainable growth and profitability.
With these, the roles of engineers are also expected to evolve at an exponential rate. It was with all these in mind that Monash University Malaysia’s Master of Advanced Engineering (MAE) was crafted.
MAE’s programme coordinator Assoc Prof Dr Hung Yew Mun accentuates the benefits of taking up this course.
“Sustainability is still at its infancy in Malaysia. The Government encourages the adoption of the ISO 50001 framework to improve organisations’ energy management,” he says.
“The target is to have at least 100 companies to be ISO 50001-certified companies in Malaysia by the end of this year. The requirement is for businesses to establish and implement sustainable energy management systems.”
As is the case with any new initiative, the lack of qualified manpower in the field to execute these goals is a problem.
“We have a lack of expertise in areas related to sustainability in Malaysia. This is a genuine opportunity for graduates as there is a bright future in this field,” says Assoc Prof Hung.
This programme consists of two core units, four specialisation units and two elective units to equip students in the area of energy and sustainability with the ability to develop solutions to complex engineering problems.
Students are given guidance on engineering entrepreneurship where they learn how to construct a business plan that balances technicality with soft skills.
We have a lack of expertise in areas related to sustainability in Malaysia. This is a genuine opportunity for graduates as there is a bright future in this field. Assoc Prof Dr Hung Yew Mun
“The goal of this programme is to impart an evidence-based methodology for those who wish to build start-ups or start their own businesses. However, the knowledge is also applicable for those working in an organisation,” he adds.
As a programme that involves the participation of teaching staff from different disciplines of engineering, MAE students have the opportunity to get personal guidance from lecturers in an intellectually stimulating environment. This pushes students out of their comfort zones to come up with original ideas.
Student have a taste of real-life working experience as Monash collaborates with countless organisations to provide industry engagement.
Among the companies collaborating with Monash are Intel, Gamuda, Petronas, Maxis, Western Digital, Shell, Cargill, Sunway Construction, Favelle Favco, ABB, CCM Pharmaceuticals and Bacfree.
The MAE programme is targeted at all engineering graduates with a bachelor’s degree in engineering from a recognised tertiary institution, with a minimum average grade of 70% or the equivalent of a secondclass (upper) grade.
This one-year programme consists of two semesters, with four subjects each semester. The duration of the programme for part-time students is two years, with two subjects each semester.