Prestigious networking forum
UNIVERSITI Teknologi Petronas (UTP) together with Curtin University Malaysia organised the eighth International Bioprocessing Association (IBA) International Forum on Industrial Bioprocessing (IFIBiop). This networking forum was initially organised during a round table meeting in the first International Congress on Bioprocesses in Food Industries 2004 (ICBF 2004), which was held in Clermount-Ferrand, France.
This IFIBiop Conference is one of the most prestigious networking worldwide forums that attracted participants worldwide in the past since its inception in 2004 in France. IFIBiop is organised biennially by International Bioprocessing Association (IBA) since 2004, which had attracted an average of 200 presentations per conference.
IBA-IFIBiop 2019 was held for the first time in Malaysia. The five-day conference featured more than 170 presentations from over 25 countries worldwide.
With the theme “Bridging Sustainability and Industrial Revolution Through Green Bioprocessing”, IBA-IFIBiop 2019 is divided into five tracks – Bioenergy and Biofuels, Environmental Biotechnology, Food Technology and Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology and Upstream and Downstream Bioprocesses.
Each track focused on different issues pertaining to its respective theme. These five tracks are in tandem with UTP’s objectives and goals and allow the university to open up new frontiers, pioneer research, create new technology and introduce innovative solutions and methods for industry. It enables sustainable development that will bring mutual benefits to the environment, economy and society.
The eighth edition of IBA-IFIBiop featured seven keynote speakers who will share their insights related to bioprocessing. The conference included forum sessions and 48 invited speakers to discuss the advent of bioprocessing, which will bridge the sustainability and industrial evolution through green bioprocessing.
The conference was officiated by Miri mayor, Adam Yii Siew Sang. Also present at the event were UTP vice-chancellor cum patron of IBAIFIBiop 2019, Prof Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib, Curtin University Malaysia Research and Development dean, Prof Dr Clement Kuek, International Bioprocessing Association chairman, Prof Dr Duu Jong Lee, International Bioprocessing Association international coordinator, ProfDr Ashok Pandey and IBA-IFIBiop 2019 chair, Prof Ir Dr Suzana Yusup.
Among the sponsors of this year’s IBA-IFIBiop were Sarawak Convention Bureau (Platinum Sponsor), KLK Oleomas Sdn Bhd and Institute of Self-Sustainable Building (Gold Sponsor), Transwater and Sarawak Oil Palms (Bronze Sponsor).
The conference is also supported by the Ministry of Education Malaysia, Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, Sirim, Majlis Bandaraya Miri, Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Avantis Laboratory Supply, Medical Resources Sdn Bhd, Teraju IP and Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB).
A leading private university in Malaysia, UTP was established on 10 January 1997. The campus is built on a 400ha site strategically located at Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia. The university is a fully owned subsidiary of Petronas.
UTP offers a wide range of industry-relevant engineering, science and technology programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It aims to produce well-rounded graduates with excellent leadership qualities and communication abilities.
The university conducts extensive research activities in collaboration with Petronas and other institutions and industries locally and abroad on six research focus and niche areas – self-sustainable building, transport infrastructure, health analytics, hydrocarbon recovery, contaminant management and autonomous system.
UTP has produced more than 15,000 graduates and currently has an enrolment of over 1,200 foundation students, 6,000 undergraduates and 1,200 postgraduates from more than 60 countries around the world.
■ For more details, log on to www.utp.edu.my