Individuals wishing to pursue research leading to PhD degrees being sought
Miri – 31 October 2012 – Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) – the largest international campus of Western Australia’s Curtin University – is continuing to offer full-time postgraduate research scholarships to individuals with strong academic records wishing to pursue research leading to PhD degrees.
As a member of the Australian Technology Network (ATN), Curtin University is widely recognised for its practical research focused on solving real-world problems. It has achieved tremendous progress to become a world-class research intensive university within the next 20 years. According to the 2011 Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) results, its research performance has achieved world standard or higher rankings in 20 discipline groups.
Like its mother campus at Bentley in Perth, Curtin Sarawak has a thriving community of research staff and students who are engaged in research areas across science and engineering, social sciences and business.
Curtin Sarawak aims to further advance its research excellence through the Curtin Sarawak Postgraduate Research Scholarships. The scholarships are competitive and the selection of candidates is based on ranking established by academic merit. The scholarships cover full course fees and provide a stipend of RM24,000 per year for three years.
Enrolment in a PhD programme at Curtin Sarawak is required for the award of a scholarship and all awardees are required to engage in teaching-related activities within their schools on the campus to a maximum of eight hours a week during the teaching semesters.
The research in the PhD candidature can be undertaken in applied geology, chemical engineering, civil and construction engineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering and petroleum engineering under the School of Engineering and Science.
Under the School of Business, candidature can be undertaken in accounting, finance, economics, human resources, marketing, small business, strategic management, technopreneurship and tourism.
Malaysian and overseas applicants are eligible for the scholarships. For admission to a PhD programme, applicants must have completed a Master by Research degree, a bachelor degree with first class honours, or an equivalent level of academic attainment. For those in their final semesters of an honours degree programme, projected results may be used.
Award of a scholarship and/or admission to a higher degree will depend primarily on the availability of an academic supervisor for the intended project, and a research topic of mutual interest to both the supervisor and intending student.
In addition to the Postgraduate Research Scholarships, the university is seeking qualified candidates to undertake fully-funded PhD projects in structural engineering to study the performance of vibration control systems for equipment and structures, and in mechanical engineering to design, analyse and develop a jacking system for offshore oil rigs.
PhD opportunities are also available with Curtin Sarawak Research Institute (CSRI), Curtin Sarawak’s multi-disciplinary research institute. The PhD projects are in the areas of renewable energy including the production of hydrogen from water and biomass energy, as well as in ethnobiology to study the relationship between language, culture and biodiversity.
In 1998, Curtin University was invited by the Sarawak State Government to open an offshore campus in Miri, and from the very beginning, Curtin made it clear that its Sarawak Campus would become a comprehensive university campus. In particular, Professor Paul Rossiter, Curtin’s Deputy Vice Chancellor of R&D stated: “If Curtin Sarawak is to become a university and not just a teaching institution, it will be essential that it establishes a leading research presence in at least a limited number of fields.”
Today, Curtin Sarawak has an R&D portfolio that reflects the mission of the campus, by focusing on programmes of research that are relevant to Sarawak and Malaysia. By providing an environment that encourages investigation, it has been successful in attracting world-class researchers.
It currently counts around 100 academic staff in its School of Engineering and Science and School of Business and, of those who teach at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, more than 40 percent are PhD-holders. Over 80 percent teaching at degree level are research-active and this number is expected to increase further in the near future.
Further information on R&D at Curtin Sarawak can be found at www.curtin.edu.my/R&D/. Full details of the scholarships on offer can be accessed at www.curtin.edu.my/R&D/phd_scholarships.
