Month: November 2021

Establishing Smart Energy System Curriculum at Russian and Vietnamese Universities (ESSENCE), a large-scale project has completed. Tomsk Polytechnic University was a national coordinator and leader in the development of teaching materials for curricula.

The project was implemented within the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, Key Action 2, Capacity Building in Higher Education. The project had been carried out since 2017. The aim of the working party became the development and implementation of a basic model of a master’s degree program meeting the challenges of the current agenda of the energy industry.

“The planned results have been achieved. Due to the joint efforts of the project members under the rather challenging conditions, we have formed a basis for the development and modernization of curricula as recommended learning outcomes, educational technology and teaching materials of key subjects. The member universities launched new and modernized the already existing smart energy system curricula. We received a high appraisal of our results from external experts and the National Erasmus+ Office in Russia. At the moment, the aim is to assure stability of project results in a long-term outlook,” Anton Prokhorov, Head of the project at TPU, says.

The main problems discussed by international experts within the project became the significance of a competency-based approach in the development and implementation of the modern curricula under the conditions of rapidly changing technological priorities of the energy industry, as well as strengthening ties with the industry and participation of company experts in an educational process.

“We possess the rich experience of cooperation with industrial companies being leaders in the Russian power engineering. For over 10 years, we have been implementing joint educational projects with OA System Operator of the Unified Energy System. We were the first to launch training of interdisciplinary experts able to complete digitalization tasks immediately after graduation. Due to such experience, it is possible to assure a high-level orientation of the curricula to the expectations of the industry and their compliance with a global agenda.

The work results in ESSENCE demonstrated that our curricula correspond to the best international practices from both a set of formed expertise and core content,” Anton Prokhorov adds.

The project experts gave special consideration to the implementation of academic mobility programs under the COVID-19 conditions. According to them, the main decision was an organization of events in hybrid and online modes, however, at the same time, it was required a careful selection of new educational technology assuring the effectiveness of a distance-learning mode. Within the project, TPU held an international summer school on smart energy systems during the summer. The experts emphasized its success, therefore, there was a decision made to hold the school annually.

“As the experience shows the formation of strong and long-term ties with overseas partners at the level of subdivisions and staff allows countering global challenges. This year, after the 2020 lockdown, TPU again accepted students from France. Thus, four students from the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (Paris) have already arrived to study an academic mobility program modernized within ESSENSE,” Anton says.

Chitkara University has once again achieved high rankings in the NIRF Rankings 2021. Chitkara University has been consistently ranked under various categories including Engineering, Pharmacy, Management, Overall, Research etc. Chitkara University’s highest rank this year was under the ‘Top Architectural Institutions’ category. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the NIRF Rankings 2021 on September 9th, 2021.

The MHRD authorised the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), which was launched by the Honourable Minister of Human Resource Development on September 29th, 2015.

This framework lays out a methodology for ranking colleges and universities across the country. The methodology is based on the general recommendations and comprehensive understanding achieved by a Core Committee established by the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) in order to define the broad factors for rating various colleges and institutes.

“Teaching, Learning, and Resources,” “Research and Professional Practices,” “Graduation Outcomes,” “Outreach and Inclusivity,” and “Perception” are among the parameters.

The Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR) includes Student Strength including Doctoral Students (SS), Faculty-student ratio with emphasis on permanent faculty (FSR), Combined metric for Faculty with PhD (or equivalent) and Experience (FQE) and Financial Resources and their Utilisation (FRU). Research and Professional Practice (RP) includes Combined metric for Publications (PU), Combined metric for Quality of Publications (QP), IPR and Patents: Published and Granted (IPR) and Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice (FPPP). Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology (CUIET) has ranked 113rd in the list of Top Engineering Colleges, Chitkara Business School has ranked 54th in the list of Top Management Institutions and Chitkara College of Pharmacy has ranked 35th in the list of Top Pharmacy Institutions.

Graduation Outcomes (GO) includes Metric for University Examinations (GUE) and Metric for Number of Ph.D. Students Graduated (GPHD). Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) includes Percentage of Students from Other States/Countries (Region Diversity RD), Percentage of Women (Women Diversity WD), Economically and Socially Challenged Students (ESCS), Facilities for Physically Challenged Students (PCS) and Perception (PR) Ranking. Peer Perception includes Academic Peers and Employers (PR).

Chitkara University was previously ranked top 200 out of 1600+ institutions in the country in the NIRF Rankings 2020. However, in the year 2021, Chitkara University has been ranked among Top150 Higher Education Institutions in India.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed via a virtual ceremony between Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pahang Branch Campus and Universitas Halu Oleo (UHO), Indonesia on 27th September 2021.

The MoU signing is not the first collaboration between UiTM and UHO. Previously, UiTM had organized a ‘Global Lecture Series’ session with UHO on June 22 and 23 2021. Thus, this MoU is primarily intended to officiate the two parties’ agreement to work together and form a strategic partnership that will strengthen, promote, and develop holistic international collaborations in academic, cultural, and research areas.

The signatories for the MoU were UiTM Pahang Branch’s Acting Rector, YBhg. Prof. Ts. Dr Mohd Ilham Adenan and Prof. Dr Muhammad Zamrun F., S.Si., M.Si., M.Sc. as the Rector of UHO. The ceremony was witnessed by UiTM Pahang Branch’s Deputy Directors, YBrs. Prof. Madya Dr Wan Mohd Nazri Wan Abdul (Research & Industrial Linkages), YBrs. Prof. Madya Dr Nazirah Ramli (Academic Affairs), the Deputy Directors of UHO; La Hamimu, S.Si., M.T., PhD (Academic Affairs), Prof. Dr Ir. Weka Widayati, M.S. (General Affairs & Finance), Dr Nur Arafah, S.P., M.Si. (Students and Alumni), Armid, S.Si., M.Si., M.Sc., D.Sc. (Planning & Cooperation) and Prof. Ir. Teguh Wijayanto, M.Sc., Ph.D. (Global Partnership). Also present in the virtual ceremony were the State Executive Committee (JKEN) of UiTM Pahang Branch Campus, Senior Management of both UiTM and UHO and the program committee members.

The MoU has been forged for three years with the primary purpose of enhancing cooperation between UiTM and UHO. In his speech, YBhg. Prof. Ts. Dr Mohd Ilham Adenan, as the Acting Rector of UiTM Pahang Branch Campus, expressed his gratitude for both parties’ willingness to take the collaboration a step further and is looking forward to the positive impact it will bring in the future.

“We foresee this MoU signing as a great platform in establishing strategic sharing and comprehensive exchange of ideas for the future. This is not going to be just as a tradition per se, but maximum opportunities will be explored apart from strengthening the existing Nusantara relationship and cultivating good values through programs that will be carried out.”

The Rector of UHO, Prof. Dr Muhammad Zamrun F., S. Si., M. Si., M. Sc. on the other hand, enthused, “We at UHO are really glad to participate in this virtual MoU signing despite the new norm conditioned by the pandemic and hope that this collaboration will benefit both parties in every aspect including academic and innovations involving our academicians, administrative staff and the students.”

This MoU signing initiative is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No.17, which focuses on partnerships for the goals. It is hoped that these efforts will highlight UiTM Pahang Branch Campus’ global visibility.

Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) continues to prove its ‘Young and Global’ creed in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic by achieving various international-scale achievements. Based on data from QS World University Rankings: Asia 2022, UMY is among the 451-500 category of the best universities in Asia and its ranking score has increased by 5%, QS World University Rankings is a reputable international institution that ranks universities around the world.

Established no less than 40 years ago, UMY was able to increase its achievements at the international level, especially in the field of research and publications. The Rector of UMY, Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto, MP., IPM., emphasized that UMY’s achievement in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2022 is in accordance with UMY’s milestones as a Research Excellence University in 2020-2025.

“UMY continues to be committed and strives to strengthen research collaborations at home and abroad to achieve university excellence and create world-class innovations,” he said.

Dr Mega Hidayati, S.Ag., SS, MA, Head of Organizational Development, UMY Planning and Development Agency said that the rise in UMY’s score was in the aspects of the International Research Network, International Faculty, Inbound Exchange, and Outbound Exchange.

“This year UMY managed to increase its score by 5% compared to last year,” she explained.

During the pandemic, UMY held blended learning, which is a combination of online and offline lectures. Currently, there are 180 foreign professors who teach at UMY from various foreign partner universities.

UMY also facilitates student mobility at the international level so that number increases from year to year. This year, nearly 1000 international level mobility activities had been carried out including inbound and outbound exchanges. Foreign students studying at UMY come from 31 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, America and Australia, while UMY students participate in student exchange programs at partner universities from 20 countries around the world.

Another achievement of UMY at the international level is that more than 40% of scientific publications in reputable journals in the last 5 years are also the result of collaboration with foreign partners.

“This increase occurred because UMY was optimizing online activities amidst the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Until now, requests for cooperation from foreign universities continue to grow,” explained Mega.

The Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University has developed an automated vaccine filling machine that can fill AstraZeneca vaccine into syringes with precision, speed, and safety, helping to increase the number of vaccinated people by 20 percent.

The prototype is now operating at Chula Vaccination Center and more machines are planned to be built to support frontline medical personnel in many vaccination centers soon.

Mass vaccination for a large population can pose as a major problem that requires immediate attention to contain the spread of COVID-19 as soon as possible. However, there are limitations. AstraZeneca vaccine comes in multi-dose vials that have to be drawn into syringes in equal amounts.  The medical personnel is overwhelmed with the daunting task of vaccinating a large number of people each day.

These are the problems that the Faculty of Engineering tried to address with the development of an automated vaccine filling machine that ensures the precision of the draw, thereby increasing the number of vaccinated recipients by 20 percent, as well as relieving the burden of medical personnel.

“At Chula Engineering, we are always innovating, and see that automation can do the work for humans in this area.  So, we invented the machine that accurately extracts 12 doses of vaccine from a vial, thus increasing the number of vaccinated people to 12 per each vial, and ensuring the accuracy of vaccine volume in every injection,” said Asst. Prof. Dr. Juthamas Ratanavaraporn,  Chairperson of the Biomedical Engineering Program, and co-developer of the automated vaccine filling machine with Lecturer Saran Keeratihatayakorn, Office of International Engineering Program Administration, Faculty of Engineering.

“Currently, vaccines are limited. The fact that we can increase vaccination by 20 per cent is extremely beneficial to the country,” Asst. Prof. Dr Juthamas emphasized.

The Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Health and various companies from the private sector developed the machine to be safe and free from contamination at maximum efficiency.  Most importantly, it can easily be operated by only one non-medical operator.

“Staff will place 12 syringes on a platform, and a vial of the vaccine on the designated spot on the conveyer belt. A vacuum nozzle will drain all the 6.5 ml. of vaccine from the vial into each of the 10-ml syringes with an air-cushion suction method, so the vaccine will not come in direct contact with the suction nozzle and there is no worry about contamination.  The syringes and needles are replaced with new ones every time, so it is safe with no contamination,” added Asst. Prof. Dr. Juthamas.

“The conveyor belt allows the vaccine to be filled into syringes continuously and quickly. It takes about 4 minutes to fill, then the syringes are capped with injection needles, and placed on vaccine trays, ready for immediate injection. This greatly relieves the burden of the frontline medical personnel, reduces the time required for this step, and increases the vaccination by 20 percent or 1,700 additional doses per day.”

Asst. Prof. Dr. Juthamas said that this concept can be applied to other alternative vaccines that are packaged in multiple doses as well.  At present, the prototype is already being piloted at the Chula Vaccination Center. Asst. Prof. Dr. Juthamas revealed that a plan is underway to produce another 100 units to distribute to large vaccination centers that give more than 1,000 doses of vaccination per day, such as the  Bang Sue Central Station or provincial hospitals. In addition, talks about exporting this innovation to neighboring countries that use similar vaccines are in the works, and details are being worked out with the Ministry of Public Health.  Moreover, the automated vaccine filling machine can also be adapted to work with other mRNA vaccines such as the Pfizer vaccine.  The researchers are working on using the same concept with some adjustments.