Extending a warm welcome
LEADING Malaysian educational institution Manipal International University (MIU) – part of the global Manipal Education Group – has announced the appointment of Professor Dr Patrick Kee as vice-chancellor, effective August.
Prior to MIU, Prof Kee was vice-chancellor at SEGi University for over eight years. He brings with him more than 30 years’ experience, spanning senior management roles in the manufacturing industry and academic positions in institutions of higher learning in Australia and Malaysia.
Prof Kee has received numerous awards and grants for his research and has published his findings in reputable technical publications, journals and reports both locally and internationally. He has also presented numerous technical papers and keynote papers at local and international conferences.
Prof Kee is the external reviewer and examiner for international journals for advanced manufacturing technology and higher degree research theses for universities in Australia and the United Kingdom.
In addition, he was awarded “Promising Entrepreneur” by the Asia Pacific Young Entrepreneurs Organisation in 1998 for his contribution in pioneering and setting up a successful school with almost a thousand students within a private college in Malaysia.
Prof Kee is currently a council member of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (2019 to 2021), as well as for the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (2019 to 2020).
The distinguished academician obtained his Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial) with first class honours in 1984 and earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering in 1992 from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
“I am very excited to join Manipal,” said Prof Kee.
He added, “I believe Manipal has immense potential, a talented academic team and an illustrious legacy of over 60 years in education excellence.
“It is in the right position to help grow the higher education industry in Malaysia. MIU offers high-quality programmes in the key areas of biotechnology, computer science, engineering, business, management and mass communication.
“It is our endeavour to provide the right skill sets for today’s youth, so that they can build successful careers for themselves and contribute to the continued development of our economy.”
About MIU
A young and growing Malaysian university, MIU is a globally recognised educational institute. Since its inception in 2012, over 1,700 students from 35 countries have enrolled in its programmes. Spanning over 142 acres (57.5ha), its campus has 49 state-ofthe-art labs for engineering and science – the highest number in Malaysia.
MIU has also launched the first-of-its-kind smart classroom that enables real-time learning for students in remote locations for its premier MBA programme.
MIU is not just a university, but also a platform that enables students to “Experience Education”.
All MIU programmes at foundation, diploma and degree level are fully accredited by the MQA, including the analytics-driven MBA. Beyond the MQA, its programmes are also globally recognised by relevant industry standards such as the Engineering Accreditation Council and the Washington Accord for engineering programmes.
The biotechnology programme is registered as the Industry Centre of Excellence under the Ministry of Higher Education, while the accounting programme is affiliated with the Charted Institute of Management Accountants and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
MIU is also a member of the global Association of MBAs for the MBA programme. As such, MIU graduates have an advantage in their respective fields due to such high-quality industry affiliations.
Furthermore, international exposure is a key focus at the university.
MIU’s undergraduate and postgraduate students have multiple opportunities to pursue parts of their studies with partner international universities.
Two cohorts of the business and accounting students, for instance, completed their international immersion trip to the respected T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) in India, a one-of-its-kind simulation lab for trade markets. It was during this trip that they received hands-on training of global business practices in the Bloomberg Lab at TAPMI.
The first cohort of MBA students also finished their international trip to Manipal Academy of Higher Education in Dubai.
As part of the global network of Manipal universities, MIU is strategically placed to help its students develop global perspectives and skillsets through such immersion trips. Frequent industry talks and visits are also a focus area for all programmes at MIU.
Moreover, its graduates are employed with leading national and global organisations.
The next intake for diploma and degree students is in October.