University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
Encyclopedia : U : UN : UNI : University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
The University of Nottingham in Malaysia Sdn Bhd or UNiM was established in 2000 as the Malaysia campus of the University of Nottingham, UK, making it the first purpose-built UK university campus in a foreign country. Its Chairman is YM Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen, a Nottingham graduate and former Malaysian Defence Minister.
The University's purpose-built 101-acre campus is situated in Semenyih, 30km South of Kuala Lumpur costing over RM120million (U$D33million). The majority stakeholder of University of Nottingham in Malaysia Sdn Bhd is Boustead Group. It was officially opened by Najib Tun Razak (Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia) as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi could not attend the opening ceremony due to unforeseen circumstances on September 26, 2005. The University was previously situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur in the Wisma MISC building on Jalan Conlay, and a presence is still retained at the central Kuala Lumpur location.
Currently, as of 2006, the university has around 1200 students with a large number of foreign students from over 40 different countries.
The Malaysia Campus offer courses in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Law and Pharmacy. Additional courses in Applied Psychology, Civil Engineering, Education and Plant Bio-Technology, would most likely be introduced for the 2006/2007 academic year.
Academics
Faculty of Engineering and Computer Sciences
The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science was established at the Malaysia Campus in August 2005 to coincide with the move to the new campus at Semenyih. The Faculty offers a wide range of programmes which are well-resourced both in terms of facilities and quality of the programmes offered. For all our programmes, the whole degree can be completed in Malaysia.The faculty consists of five main schools: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, and School of Computer Science and Information Technology. There is also a Foundation Studies division that offers foundation programmes specific to the engineering sciences.
Faculty of Health and Biological Sciences
There are two main schools within the faculty: School of Pharmacy, and School of Biosciences.Faculty of Social Sciences and Education
There are four main schools that make up this faculty: Nottingham University Business School Malaysia, School of Law, School of Applied Psychology, and School of Education. Similarly with the Faculty of Engineering, there exists a special foundation studies division that offers pre-university foundation programmes.Controversies
Since the opening of UNiM in Semenyih, local residents have been complaining that accident rates from neighbouring Semenyih town leading to the university has increased ten-fold. This is expected as the narrow road leading to the campus itself is hazardous. The roads are narrow, coupled with sharp turns with tight angles. The lack of street lights at night doesn't help either. In addition to the physical state of the roads leading to the campus, most students drive recklessly, thus, contributing further to the accident rates in the area.Many accidents have been reported in which students crashed into drains, drive off cliffs, crashing onto nearby playgrounds, crashing motorcyclists, and hitting stray farm animals. There's even a report of a cyclist hitting the university van. The van sustained heavy damage, shattered windshield and damaged front section. Reported accidents vary from 10 to 20 per week.
Accommodation
Accommodation at the Semenyih campus includes on-campus and off-campus options. On-campus lodging rates start at RM330 to RM600 per month. There are a variety of room options from single to quad-sharing. All rooms are on a self-catering basis.Off-campus accommodation are available at the neighbouring Taman Tasik Semenyih neighbourhood. Location is within a 3km radius from the campus. Some form of transportation, preferably a bicycle or a motorcycle, is required to commute between the housing area to the campus.
Transportation
Public transport is unavailable except for the university sponsored shuttle busses commuting between the campus and Kajang KTM Station. Do take note that the service is only available on specific times throughout the day and at one hour intervals. Other than the busses, alternatives include taking a taxi. Rates are as follow: UNMC to Taman Tasik Semenyih is RM5, UNMC to Semenyih town is RM15, UNMC to KTM Kajang Station is RM20, UNMC to Kuala Lumpur International Airport RM80, UNMC to One Utama RM80, UNMC to Kuala Lumpur is RM100.Options to travel by road includes the SILK highway, which is a good choice due to its under-utilised roads. However, high toll rates make it unfavourable. The popular way is, therefore, the Cheras-Kajang Highway (Grand Saga), which costs less than RM2 one-way.
See also
- University of Nottingham
- University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China
- List of University of Nottingham people
External links
- [Official site]
- [Malaysia Campus Students' Association]
- [University of Nottingham, UK]
- [Issues with the Malaysia Campus MBA]
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