Towards a sustainable smart city

Smart cities used to be a utopian dream. Today, momentum is building towards realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Management and Science University (MSU) hosts the Research and Innovation of Private Higher Education Network (RIPHEN) Sustainable Communities Symposium 2020-2021.

Held virtually at the MSU main campus in Shah Alam recently, RIPHEN’s Sustainable Communities Symposium 2020-2021 was officiated by MSU President and RIPHEN Patron Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Wira Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid.

“The past twenty months have proven to be disruptive to the social, economic, and political landscapes. The disruption demands us to be adaptive and agile as we equip ourselves to live with COVID.

“The RIPHEN collaboration is vital in narrowing the gap between the dream and the actual building of sustainable communities. The symposium’s theme of Sustainable Smart City aligns well with the 11th UNSDG; i.e., making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

It is the responsibility of scholars and researchers to maximize intellect and skills to provide solutions; in the local, national, and global arenas.”

Among the online attendees were Multimedia University (MMU) Vice-President of Research, Industrial Collaborations and Engagement; Nilai University Vice-Chancellor; and Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur (IUKL) Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research.

MSU contributed two titles to the RIPHEN Sustainable Communities 2020-2021 Proceedings Book; Real-Time Crowd Temperature Tracker using Thermal Camera and Facial Identification for Pandemic, and Biometric Fingerprint Recognition based on Sweat Pores.

Programme leaders of RIPHEN’s member universities’ principal investigators presented their progress reports on Digital Education (MSU), Digital Futures (MMU), Power Distribution (UNITEN), Sustainable Hybrid Hydro (UTP), Energy 4.0 (Nilai University), Intelligent Energy System (IUKL), and Rail Engineering Technology (UNIKL).

The Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia MyIPO delivered a talk on Intellectual Property in Technology Commercialization.

Abstracts on Sustainable Energy, Future Cities, Digital Education, Rail Engineering, Energy 4.0, AI Technology for Power Management Infrastructure, and Power Engineering (Power Distribution System) were judged by a two-member panel comprising SIRIM Tech Ventures (STV) CEO and an STV Consultant.

Present on campus at the MSUtv studio were MSU Senior Vice-President for Research, Innovation, Technology and System and RIPHEN Chairman Professor Dato’ Dr Md Gapar Md Johar; MSU Vice-President for Industry Linkages and Entrepreneurship Professor Dr Abdul Jalil Ghazali; and MSU RIPHEN Exco Associate Professor Dr Mariam-Aisha Fatima.

The postgraduate studies at MSU offers advanced degrees at MBA, MSc and PhD levels covering the wide areas including Management/Business, Accounting/ Finance, Educational Management and Leadership, Teaching English as Second Language, International Business, Fashion Business, International Hospitality and Tourism Management, Early Childhood Education, Counselling and Guidance, International Event Management, Computer Science, Information and Communication Technology, Food Service Technology, Biomedicine, Engineering, Applied Science, Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Information Technology, Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmacy, Applied Science, Design, Medical Physiology, Public Health and Anatomy. This programmes offered under the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and Graduate School of Management (GSM).

MSU currently ranks in the Top 100 among the world’s top young universities, Top 200 among Asia’s best universities, Top 301+ for Graduate Employability Ranking and Top 601+ for University Impact. Ranked by both Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) and Times Higher Education (THE), MSU’s world rankings place it in the Top 47% of the world’s best universities in the QS WUR 2022 and Top 200 for impact on gender equality and no poverty in THE University Impact Rankings 2021.

MSU has also been awarded Platinum 5 Crowns by the UK’s Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC); and QS-rated 5-Stars on the metrics of Overall as well as individually across Teaching, Graduate Employability, Academic Development, Internationalization, Online Learning, Social Responsibility, Inclusiveness, and Hospitality and Leisure Management. Also rated by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) as SETARA Tier-5 Excellent Status University as well as ranked The Most Entrepreneurial Private University in Malaysia.

In all, as an applied, enterprise, holistic and international university, MSU offers foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and flexible programs through an entry system that facilitates admission of students from all walks of life, where it aims to TRANSFORMING LIVES and ENRICHING FUTURE.

For more information on post graduate programmes offered at MSU, please call 603-5521 6868, email enquiry@msu.edu.my or visit www.msu.edu.my.