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Year: 2021

UiTM receives grant for Digital Datapreneur Incubator Project

Posted on by Editorial Team

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, Kelantan branch campus was recently awarded a grant valued at RM94,000 from the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education for the Digital Datapreneur Incubator Project.

The grant which was awarded on 23rd November 2020 will allow Dr. Wan Fairos Wan Yaacob, the leader and her team members, Dr. Syerina Azlin Md Nasir, Dr. Nurazleena Ismail, and Dr. Wan Marhaini Wan Omar to continue building on the digital datapreneur hub initiative. This project primarily aims to centralise the mobilisation of young entrepreneurs from the public universities nationwide.

The Digital Datapreneur Incubator is aimed at equipping the growing number of participants with data-based analytical skills and encourage the use of data analytics approach to innovate the decision-making phase. This will add value to the entrepreneurs as skills in advanced technology will give them the competitive edge to not only run their businesses, but to also thrive the fast-paced economic landscape of Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Apart from providing the platform for young entrepreneurs to polish their skills in data analytics, this project will reach the local community in Kelantan by providing hands-on experience in using a wide array of applications to do their business activities. This programme has very far-reaching aims and hopes to facilitate the entrepreneurs involved through the identification of important business data which are pivotal for the decision-making process. Hence, this will enable them to make informed selection of target market, determine market segmentation, and to better strategise the market placement.

The Digital Datapreuner Incubator is one of the 10 collaboration incubators under the Structured Entrepreneurial Incubator Programme (SEIP) which is an entrepreneurship programme at the Ministry of Higher Education. Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, as the key figure for SEIP has been working hand in hand with Malaysian higher educational institutions, government agencies, as well as the industry to bring this project together.

Overall, this initiative is observed to principally produce human capital who is knowledgeable, skilled and competitive to pursue the development of digital entrepreneurship in Malaysia. The Digital Datapreneur Incubator project will contribute towards improving both data management and data analytical skills, and also ensure the sustainability across various sectors in Malaysia such as engineering, technology and digital entrepreneurship. This project will play an important role in national development.

LETI creates unique micro-optical gyroscope for driverless vehicles

Posted on by Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University

Today, there is an increasing need for the orientation and navigation of small-sized moving objects around the world. The niche of expensive gyroscopes for large vehicles (ships, aircraft, etc.) is already occupied. The decreasing size of controlled objects requires more compact inertial navigation and orientation systems. Under these conditions, the development of relatively cheap and miniature gyroscopes for a wide range of applications becomes one of the prime tasks in this area.

A research team headed by Vladimir Venediktov, Chief Scientific Associate of the Department of Laser Measurement and Navigation Systems of ETU “LETI,” works on the world’s first micro-optical gyroscope based on a circular confocal resonator.

The proposed approach makes use of research on micro-optical resonator gyroscopes based on angular velocity measurement methods. A miniature, cheap, and highly accurate gyroscope can help drones and autonomous cars stay on track without a GPS signal.

“The current trend in modern transportation and logistics systems is to reduce warehouse space, increase the speed and dynamics of commodity flows, reduce the size and automate cargo that delivers goods to a consumer,” says Vladimir Venediktov, “Also, there are many tasks related to maneuverable objects with high and ultra-high accelerations and vibrations. It is essential in pre-crash conditions to ensure stable control of vehicles, which usually have low dynamics of motion, but the crash of which is unacceptable.”

High-performance gyroscopes will be in demand in backup navigation systems for autonomous cars, which are large and expensive devices. For quite a long time, they have been a bottleneck in navigation systems. The devices developed at ETU “LETI” will help remove this obstacle, allowing high-precision and low-cost inertial navigation in most autonomous vehicles. This kind of backup navigation equipment can also be used for pathfinding in places where GPS signals are blocked, for example, inside buildings, helping to speed up the work of warehouse robots.

In 2020, the project of ETU “LETI” researchers got support from the Russian Science Foundation. By 2022, the researchers will develop, create, and test a prototype of a gyroscope.

According to Vladimir Venediktov, it is also possible to solve a wide range of socially significant tasks using these devices. One of the applications is helping seniors who go for a walk alone. The gyroscope records movements and immediately informs about the person’s location in case of an unusual situation.

Arden University receives indefinite degree award powers

Posted on by Global University Systems

Arden University, the blended and online distance learning specialist, has been awarded Indefinite Degree Award Powers (IDAP) with effect from September 2021, under the Higher Education & Research Act 2017.

With six study centres in the UK and another in Berlin, Arden is one of the few specialists, distance-learning universities to launch in the last 50 years. Following a year-long review by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), during a worldwide pandemic, it has met the criteria to be awarded IDAP. A major milestone for the university,
Arden previously had the authority to award degrees, but that authority was time-limited, until now.

“This is a true milestone in the development of the university,” says Carl Lygo, Vice
Chancellor of Arden University. “Although we had the authority to award degrees it was time-limited, but we always believed in our vision and mission
to work towards it.”

The QAA’s year-long review concluded that Arden University is “a self-critical, cohesive academic community with a proven commitment to the assurance of standards supported by effective quality systems.” This was backed by the Office for Students (OfS)
who submitted an application to Parliament stating: “The OfS is satisfied that the provider is eligible for indefinite TDAPs and continues to meet the DAPs criteria.”

Arden University, supports over 13,000 students studying for Foundation, Degree, Master’s and MBA programmes when and where it suits them best. It delivers distance learning programmes where all of the study is done online, face-to-face or as a blended combination of the two, in our centres in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Berlin.

The Degrees awarded by Arden are highly vocational and designed to equip students with the transferable skills needed in today’s workplace. Many of the Degree and Master’s courses, which include business, law, healthcare, computing and psychology are accredited by professional bodies, while Arden is one of only five institutions in the UK to offer an online qualifying law degree.

“The IDAP is a testament to the hard work of all our former and current colleagues who have shared in the journey of creating Arden University since 2015,” says Carl Lygo. “This
should strengthen not just our reputation, but the experience for our students
and colleagues.”

In recognition of its continued commitment to its students, Arden was named number one education business in the 2020 Education Investor Awards. Elsewhere, 95% of Arden graduates said they were satisfied with the Arden University learning experience in its 2020 graduate
survey.

Italian universities and companies discuss hydrogen economy and climate change with TPU

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

On April 21, the I Verona Forum Outreach Session was held at the Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) venue. Representatives of Russian and Italian public authorities and companies discussed areas and formats of cooperation. Within the Session program, Andrey Yakovlev, Acting Rector of TPU, met Pasquale Terracciano, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to the Russian Federation and Antonio Fallico, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Banca Intesa and President of the Association Conoscere Eurasia.

“Today, we held a very interesting meeting with Andrey Yakovlev, where we discussed opportunities of cooperation between Italy and Russia, including cooperation opportunities at a university level. After my visit, we will plan a trip of the research attache of the Embassy of Italy in Russia so that he will study on the spot all opportunities of research cooperation in the fields of studying climate change, in particular, in the Arctic, and of the hydrogen economy. These are fields, where I consider we can implement joint projects,” Pasquale Terracciano, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to the Russian Federation, said.

The Ambassador and the Acting Rector of TPU discussed opportunities for the participation of Italian universities and companies in the work of the Russian consortium for the development of hydrogen technologies, one of the founders of which is TPU. Pasquale Terracciano noted that a number of Italian companies operating in Russia could become industrial partners of the consortium.

“The world is facing global challenges related to environmental agenda, climate change and overall digitalization. TPU realizes and accepts these challenges. We see plainly that nobody can handle it alone, therefore, we are deeply interested in cooperation with strong partners. We are willing to cooperate in the projects on the study of greenhouse gas emissions in the Arctic, the hydrogen economy, low-tonnage chemistry, healthcare engineering and digitalization,” Andrey Yakovlev said at the meeting with the Ambassador.

“Particularly, we closely monitor the experience of the Italian colleagues on hydrogen technologies. Nowadays, six consortiums for the hydrogen economy operate in Italy. We are willing to cooperate at the level of individual organizations and consortiums in this field.”

In his turn, Antonio Fallico, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Banca Intesa, invited the TPU representatives at the meeting to present their projects and technologies on the venues of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in which large Italian companies will take part.

“TPU is well-known not only in Italy but in entire Europe. I have known for a long time about the solid relationships of TPU with Italian universities.

Being a bank, we do not pursue academic research, however, we cooperate with scientific centers in various fields. A separate structure was created by us 10 years ago to support research in a wide range of fields. These are nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, medicine, IT and the Internet of things. We have currently purchased a controlling interest in 37 startups. We provide financing for a number of projects both research and applied manufacturing. We would like to use this meeting at TPU to figure out how we can develop cooperation in education and science,” Antonio Fallico said.

Scientists improve contrast in noninvasive imaging of cancer cells

Posted on by Lyudmila Dozhdikova

A Russian-German research team has come up with a new technique for magnetic resonance imaging of cancer cells. The study, published in Pharmaceutics, shows that heterologous expression of encapsulin systems from Quasibacillus thermotolerans with functional cargo proteins and iron transporter leads to increased contrast in MRI imaging of mammalian tumor cells.

Many advances in cancer treatment would come from a better understanding of tumor biology, particularly the elucidation of carcinogenesis mechanisms.

Currently, the primary method of live-cell imaging is direct labeling of cells with a probe or contrast agent before transplantation. However, any synthetic contrast agent for cell labeling has a critical drawback—it dilutes as the cells divide, which leads to loss of the signal after several cycles of divisions. In contrast, genetically encoded reporters propagate to daughter cells with each cell division. Moreover, because genetically encoded reporters rely on essential cellular processes, their signal is selective for viable cells.

The most commonly studied genetically encoded labels use an optical signal generated by either bioluminescent or fluorescent reporter protein. Although these methods have very high sensitivity, their use is limited by light scattering in biological tissues.

MRI has the advantage of deep tissue penetration with relatively high spatial resolution. Ferritin, a blood protein that contains iron, is the most studied genetically encoded agent so far. Nevertheless, ferritin’s MRI performance is severely limited by its weak magnetic properties and highly conservative structure. The latter excludes significant improvement in ferritin relaxivity by bioengineering.

“One of the most promising approaches is based on the heterologous expression of bacterial protein nanocompartments—encapsulins— in mammalian cells. Encapsulins, which are bacterial protein nanocompartments, can serve as genetically controlled labels for multimodal detection of cells. Such nanocompartments can host various guest molecules inside their lumen,” says Maxim Abakumov, head of the NUST MISIS Biomedical Nanomaterials Laboratory, senior researcher at the Medicinal Nanobiotechnology Department, N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University.

“These include, for example, fluorescent proteins or enzymes with ferroxidase activity leading to biomineralization of iron oxide inside the encapsulin nanoshell. Besides, these reporters do not suffer from dilution during cell division.”

In their experiments, a team of scientists from NUST MISIS, V. Serbsky National Medical, N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Technical University of Munich, Helmholtz Center Munich have implemented, for the first time, heterologous expression of encapsulin systems from Quasibacillus thermotolerans using a fluorescent reporter protein and ferroxidase in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product that enables it to produce end products, protein or non-coding RNA, and ultimately affect a phenotype, as the final effect. The researchers loaded the nanoshell with the natural ferroxidase cargo from Q. thermotolerans and a synthetic fluorescent cargo protein derived from mScarlet-I.

The successful expression of self-assembled encapsulin nano compartments with functional cargo proteins was then confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Also, coexpression of encapsulin nanoshells, ferroxidase cargo, and iron transporter led to an increase in contrast in magnetic resonance imaging of cancer cells. The encapsulin cargo system from Q. thermotolerans may be suitable for multimodal imaging of cancer cells, the researhers believe.

MMSU receives P25-M smart campus grant

Posted on by John Vincent B. Toribio

Complementing its aggressive efforts to champion flexible learning, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is creating a community that is highly connected and digitally interactive in a glitch-free environment.

With a Php24.9 million fund from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), under the Financial Assistance for SUCs for the Development of Smart Campuses program, the University is now gaining headway to be a Smart University by developing a Seamless Campus Network (SCN) – promising a higher level of communication control, integrity, and information accessibility.

The project aims to establish an intranet system, build a centralized network resource allocation, and improve its digital security management.

The establishment of an intranet system will enable smooth and unbroken transport of data through internal information and a decision-support system.

Meanwhile, building a centralized control of resources will optimize the inventory and utilization of technological infrastructure, platforms, licenses, and bandwidth use. Also, this will streamline the monitoring and maintenance of systems to easily trace communication bottlenecks.

Furthermore, a logical control mechanism of information will enhance the use and sharing of critical University information resources. This shall enable users to avail of services without the threat of unauthorized access to information.

These can be achieved through the installation and maintenance of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which enables users to utilize network resources that may be inaccessible from the public internet, and to install redundant networks and more access points in all MMSU campuses – Batac, Laoag, Currimao, and Dingras.

Particularly, the university will purchase a geo-based IP firewall, upgrade to a 6Gbps Stateful Firewall throughput (accommodating 10,000 users), and 10G SFP+ WAN interfaces for high-speed connectivity, among others.

Php 16.5 million will be spent for capital outlay (equipment, building supplies, and training needs), while the rest of the amount will be used for personnel services, and maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOEs).

According to Dr. Saturnina F. Nisperos, Information and Technology Center director, “the project will surely bolster the connectivity in the University, and will vitally support the implementation of flexible learning as it will allow local access of information systems across all campuses, including the MMSU Virtual Learning Environment (mVLE).”

“The planned 10gbps backbone with fibre optic cables, together with proper configuration, will ensure high availability,” Mr Arman Barruga, chief of Software Development and Network Administration, and SCN Project Leader said.

Aside from Nisperos and Barruga, the other members of the team are Professor Wilben Christie R. Pagtaconan and Professor Milagors B. Barruga, computing and information sciences professors, Professor Wilson R. Duldulao, chief for electronics, Mr Efren A. Miguel, a computer technician, Prof. Luvee Hazel C. Aquino University secretary, and Ms Cheryll Dela Cruz, an administrative staff.

For her part, Dr Shirley C. Agrupis, University president, expressed enthusiasm for the project. She extended her gratitude to CHED noting, “the assistance from the commission pushes us to continually transform MMSU into a next-generation institution – an excellent community that operates in the values of Industry 4.0.”

RA 11494, otherwise known as the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” appropriated Php 3 billion to assist SUCs in the development of smart campuses through investments in ICT infrastructure, acquisition of learning management systems, and other appropriate equipment to fully implement flexible learning modalities.

CHED defines smart campuses as “spaces where higher education institutions use next-generation digital technologies woven seamlessly with a well-architected infrastructure to develop tools to enhance teaching and learning, research and extension, as well as to improve operational efficiency.

Meanwhile, MMSU has been developing and deploying electronic systems to manage academic, research, and administrative processes as part of the e-MMSU initiative under the 7-Point Agenda to ACHIEVE. These include the mVLE and other independent systems developed by software developers assigned at the ITC.

Thammasat University hospital partners with NSTDA on digital healthcare

Posted on by Thammasat University

Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) in collaboration with Thammasat University Hospital have signed an MOU for the ” Research and Development Collaboration Project on Digital Healthcare to develop the Smart Hospital”.

The project promotes and encourages the production of smart healthcare and digital healthcare innovation, preparation and streamlining of hospital operations by applying digital technology integrated with information systems (digital transformation) for 5 years to improve service quality and management system for being the Smart Hospital.

Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul, Director of NSTDA, said, “NSTDA focuses on enhancing research, development, design and engineering as well as utilization. In addition, we are supporting the development of manpower and the necessary scientific and technological infrastructure in order to leverage competitiveness and develop the nation sustainably.”

NSTDA carried forward research and development of medical devices including joint testing of medical innovations of Assistive Technology and Medical Devices Research Center (A-MED), National Metal and Materials Technology Center and National Electronics and Computer Technology Center in collaboration with Thammasat University Hospital, which include DentiiScan, BodiiRay S, R&D collaboration of voice-controlled smart infusion device, and temperature screening efficiency test with Mutherm at the entrance to the hospital and patient screening point.

Currently “UNAI” system has been deployed for providing indoor positioning service in order to magnify the outcomes of the utilization of research results in terms of tracking medical devices inside the hospital along with the energy monitoring system and medical device management system.

“The collaboration with Thammasat University Hospital aims to develop, promote and encourage the production of research, innovation and medical products e.g., medical devices, software, accurate technology, supplies and products as well as expansion and encouragement of practical use, technology transfer and commercial and industrial use which will strengthen the advanced medical research and push forward innovation development and medical technology for new technology businesses of healthcare in Thailand,” explains Dr Narong Sirilertworakul.

“This also increases opportunities for the development of Thai entrepreneur and startup potential according to the BCG model policy that aims to carry forward research and development for medical economics in order to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand in the international trade,” said Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul.

Associate Professor Dr Paruhat Tor-udom, Director of Thammasat University Hospital, said, “TU Hospital is a high-level university hospital with the capacity to provide comprehensive healthcare in all areas. It accepts referrals from other hospitals and offers outpatient, inpatient and accident and emergency services.”

“In 2020, the hospital provided 741 beds and had an average 5,392 outpatient visits/day and 71% inpatient bed occupancy aiming to use technology and innovation to provide excellent medical car services, management and academic matter, and to support its staff, people and society with the vision of ‘TUH 4.0 Organization of the Future for All’.”

“In this MOU signing ceremony, TU Hospital aims for a collaborative research process to develop new medical innovations, including further development from the original projects and encouragement of practical or commercial use. It started with the project of prototype development to track the location of the medical device with the “UNAI” platform and record the hospital electricity consumption for the Utilization Management system of the medical devices,” said Associate Professor Dr Paruhat Tor-udom.

“This will enable efficient management of medical devices under limited resources. It is expected that the results will be expanded to UHOSNET that conducts the research with the joint cost. TU Hospital is available to support healthcare knowledge, budget, personnel, and to be a learning resource providing hand-on experiences in order to achieve the goals with the collaboration that will offer utmost benefits to people and the country,” concluded Associate Professor Dr Paruhat Tor-udom.

 

Mineral found in human bone can help fight toxic organic compounds

Posted on by NITech

Many industrial processes emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are hazardous to human health. In a new study, scientists from NITech, Japan, tailor the catalytic activity of hydroxyapatite, a mineral contained in human bones, using mechanical stress. This method was inexpensive and resulted in a 100% VOC conversion, potentially opening doors to effective climate control.

A team of scientists led by Prof. Takashi Shirai from Nagoya Institute of Technology (NITech), Japan, reported a complete catalytic decomposition of VOC using an inorganic compound called “hydroxyapatite” (HAp), a naturally occurring form of the mineral calcium phosphate that makes up most of the human bone structure.

“HAp is made of elements abundant in nature, is non-toxic and exhibits high biocompatibility. Our results, thus, opened up a new possibility for designing cheap, noble-metal-free catalysts for VOC control,” says Prof. Shirai. 

In a new study published in Scientific Reports, Prof. Shirai and his colleague Yunzi Xin from NITech now take things further by tailoring the “active surface” of HAp using a mechanochemical treatment under ambient conditions that leads to a highly efficient catalytic oxidation of VOC with 100% conversion to harmless compounds.

Specifically, they mixed initial HAp with ceramic balls in a vessel and conducted “planetary ball milling” at room temperature and ambient pressure. This essentially altered the chemical structure of HAp and allowed for its selective tailoring by simply changing the ball size.

By using different ball sizes (3, 10, and 15 mm) to systematically vary the morphology, crystallinity, surface defects/oxygen vacancy, acidity/basicity, and VOC affinity of HAps, the
scientists carried out their characterization using various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spin resonance analysis, surface acidity/basicity evaluation, and gas-flowing diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. 

They observed a predominance of oxygen vacancy formation in the PO43- (triply charged
PO4) site along with an enhanced basic site population caused by selective mechanochemical activation of the c-plane (plane perpendicular to the symmetry axis) of the hexagonal HAp crystal and attributed it to the excellent catalytic conversion of VOC to CO2/CO. 

Moreover, they found that HAps treated with 3 mm balls showed superior catalytic activity over that treated with 10- and 15-mm balls, even though larger balls caused more defects and basicity. By looking at the surface absorption of a VOC, ethyl acetate, scientists attributed this anomaly to the inhibited absorption of ethyl acetate in HAp treated with larger balls, leading to suppressed catalysis. 

The results have excited scientists about the future prospects of HAps. “We expect that our catalyst will contribute significantly to VOC controlling and environmental cleaning all over the world by next decade, achieving the sustainable goals of clean air and water, affordable energy, and climate action,” comments Prof. Shirai, excited. 

UiTM Hybrid Synchronous Lecture Series: New vistas of learning with Uzbekistan

Posted on by Editorial Team

Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (FSKM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) is hosting a fifteen-week Hybrid Synchronous lectures series aimed at students and lecturers interested in the area of Groups and Algebras scheduled from February 25 – June 1 2021. Topics covered include algebraic structures, groups, rings, polynomials and number theory, vector space, and algebra.

The move to online and hybrid teaching and learning environment offers faculties and students from all participating universities an opportunity to collaborate, experiment, analyze, and discuss mathematical problems together.

The lecture series taught by Prof Dr Isamiddin Rakhimov is a hybrid experience for the faculties and students from UiTM, the National University of Uzbekistan (NUUz), and Samarkand State University (SamsU) Uzbekistan.  

FSKM, UiTM hosted the first lecture in one of the Global Learning Spaces on February 25, 2021 (5.00 pm, Malaysian time). It was joined virtually by participants from other local universities and UiTM campuses nationwide. Lectures were streamed live via the Cisco Webex application and the Centre for Mathematics Studies, UiTM Youtube account.

The hosting of the hybrid synchronous series embarks a significant faculty’s role in education innovation delivery to be experienced by more students and lecturers in the future. It also offers the students and staff the taste of international exposure and strengthening our global engagement through knowledge sharing. 

Prof Dr Isamiddin Rakhimov who led this lecture series is a mathematics professor at FSKM, UiTM, since October 2019, with research interests in pure mathematics. With his presence, FSKM has successfully co-organized the International Uzbekistan-Malaysia Conference on Computational Models and Technologies (CMT2020) with the National University of Uzbekistan (NUUz) and several universities from Uzbekistan.

He also contributed to the recent MoUs with the National University of Uzbekistan (NUUz) and Samarkand State University (SamSU), Uzbekistan. Various organizations have awarded him for his achievements, such as the Lifetime Professor Award by the Supreme Attestation Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Excellent teaching (Faculty of Sciences), and Outstanding Scientist Award (INSPEM) by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

He has extensive teaching experience in a few universities, including Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University (LETI) in Russia, the National University of Uzbekistan (NUUz) in Uzbekistan, and University Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Malaysia.

UiTM collaborates with SKSU, Philippines on Halal Training Programs

Posted on by NURUL SALIZAWATEE MAHPAR & NOOR RITA MOHAMAD KHAN

The Research Initiative Group (Halal Management and Science) of the Faculty of Business Management of Universiti Teknologi MARA, (also known as iHALALMAS FBM UiTM), Malaysia organized two online training programs on halal involving 15 participants from the Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU), Philippines late 2020.

These training programs transpired from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) endorsed in December 2019 between both universities which revealed the aspiration of SKSU to venture into halal academic and business initiatives, and for UiTM to collaborate with SKU in halal development programs for the Asian region and the global market.  The main aim of the training programs was to provide awareness among the participants on the concept of halal in business and entrepreneurship, and able to apply those concepts successfully for businesses in the Philippines.

The first Halal Training Program was conducted in September 2020 where it concentrated on halal business and entrepreneurship. While, the second Halal Training Program conducted in October, focused on halal animal welfare and food processing.  Both training programs were coordinated by Dr. Ismah Osman, the Leader of the Research Initiative Group (Halal Management and Science) UiTM, assisted by Dr. Ruby Hechanova, the Head of Halal Department at SKSU.

The workshop on halal business was conducted by Prof. Dr. Faridah Hassan and Dr. Ismah Osman, while Associate Prof. Dr. Sharifah Zannierah Syed Marzuki and Dr. Hasni Abdullah discussed on the importance of Halal Entrepreneurship.

For the second training program session, Tuan Hj Mohd Nordin Zainuddin, a Compliant
Director from Sertwo International Sdn Bhd and a JAKIM certified trainer took charge of it.  The objectives of this workshop were to provide awareness on the concept of halal in meat production and food processing besides providing an understanding on the process behind the consumption of halal food products. As these were online training programs, other than lectures and discussions, activities such as quizzes were organised to engage the participants.

With these two training programs, SKSU hopes to be able to contribute to halal development in the Philippines and the world, especially on halal meat production. Concurrently, Dr Ruby hopes to community engagement so that the farmers may
become entrepreneurs of halal goat meat or chevon.

On another note, a research endeavour is hoped to be materialized between iHALALMAS,
FBM, UiTM and SKSU in developing more halal-based entrepreneurship and business, particularly in the state of Mindanao.