By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 14: A statement of cooperation (SoC) was signed between the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada, the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS), and the Sarawak Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development (MUDeNR) to enhance collaboration in talent development, research, and innovation for Sarawak’s green mining and quarrying sectors.
According to a media release, this followed a recent visit by the CENTEXS and MUDeNR delegation to UBC, marking a significant outcome of the initial engagement led by the Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan during his official visit to the Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining (BRIMM) at UBC in June 2024.
“The training partnership and collaboration comprises professional certification for post-degree training programmes (mine/quarry), bachelor’s degree and postgraduate in mining and geology, research and development (R&D) and innovation in mineral resources, sustainable mineral development and workforce development and consultancy in the areas of satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), remote sensing satellite, green artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and intelligent automation and policy for green mining and quarrying,” said the media release.
The delegation’s visit, led by CENTEXS chief executive officer (CEO), Dato Syeed Mohd Hussein Wan Abdul Rahman, highlighted Sarawak’s commitment to developing its green mining and quarrying sector sustainably and responsibly, including training, talent development, and an institutional framework.
“The mining sector has been identified as one of the six key economic sectors under Sarawak’s Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS 2030). As such, extracting the mineral reserves would contribute significantly to Sarawak’s economy. Sarawak has been identified as having various valuable minerals estimated to be worth RM1.65 trillion.
“Thus, the mining industry requires a workforce with a diverse range of expertise and skills from professional levels to semi-skilled levels,” said the media release.
The visit included a campus tour and discussions in which both parties reaffirmed their commitment to professional certification, degree programmes, joint projects, knowledge exchange, and research collaborations aligned with Sarawak’s PCDS 2030.
Among those present were Syeed, UBC Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science, Dr James Olson, and MUDeNR representative, Lim Bih Wei. — DayakDaily
