USM-MURDOCH UNIVERSITY JOINTLY ESTABLISHES CIPPA

PENANG, July 11, 2012 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) identified two branches of the main collaboration with international strategic partners, Murdoch University, Australia.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Omar Osman said that the cooperation was to establish a Centre for Innovation and Productivity in Public Administration (CIPPA) at USM and the development of Public Policy at Murdoch University.

Omar said, CIPPA takes on the role as a centre for training and capacity building among civil servants.

He added that CIPPA also serves as a centre for leading research-based training in Asia to meet the management needs of human resource development in Malaysia with other countries in the region.

“Cooperation and efforts were made after specific consultations between USM and the Murdoch University began last May when USM had a working visit there,” he said.

He was speaking at a press conference after attending the Noordin Sopiee Chair Lecture Series by Professor Richard Higgott, Vice-Chancellor of Murdoch University cum Professor Emeritus of University of Warwick, United Kingdom.

Higgott delivered a lecture entitled "Why Can’t We Govern the International Economy? Lessons from the Recent Global Financial Crisis" before an audience of more than a hundred at the Dewan Persidangan Universiti, USM, recently.

Also present were Prof. Asma Ismail, USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs), Winthrop Professor Diane Stone, Prof. Higgott’s wife and Dr. Nor Malina Malek, Acting Dean of the School of Social Sciences, who was also the moderator for the lecture.  

Omar also said that USM is also working with Murdoch University to send postgraduate students and lecturers to Murdoch University which will establish a special institute in the field of Public Policy.

“The establishment of the institute was approved by the Australian government and USM took the initiative to achieve the objective established through collaboration with Murdoch University,” he said.

He added that USM also looks for other opportunities to be tapped with Murdoch University which can bring benefits, not only to both universities, but also to Malaysia and Australia.