Education ministry set up Boutique university for ICT

The Higher Education Ministry hope to set up a boutique university for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in line with efforts to produce qualified experts in the field. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the ministry had received a number of proposals from the private sector and industries that are interested in working with the government. He said the setting of an ICT university would expose students to practical aspects of ICT related industries, especially in engineering, science, technology and arts. "The main focus of the university will be to provide students with practical knowledge and expertise," he told reporters after presenting prizes to winners in the AutoDesk Malaysia Design Competition (AMDC) 2011 here Tuesday. Mohamed Khaled said starting next year, participation for the AMDC competition would be opened to private higher learning institutions as well. He said the annual competition held since 2009 was aimed at producing AutoDesk design experts under the theme 'We Care' and highlight issues related to education in the respective fields. Meanwhile, a team from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia emerged victorious in the AMDC 2011 with their AutoDesk Wheelchair Car, and walked away with the top prize of RM4,500 and a lap top computer.