APU & DNB Sign MoU To Forge Development of 5G Curriculum And Related Digital Services

From left: DNB Lead Emerging Technologies Mr Johan Krebbers, DNB Chief Strategy Officer Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid, APU Chief Operating Officer Mr Gurpardeep Singh and APU Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer Prof. Ir. Eur. Ing. Ts. Dr. Vinesh Thiruchelvam revealed the signed MoU.

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) to collaborate and equip Malaysia’s next generation of tech talent with crucial Fifth Generation (5G) technology know-how. This will be done via the development of a 5G-inclusive curriculum, in addition to providing students with practical and project development experience.

The MoU was signed by APU Chief Operating Officer Mr Gurpardeep Singh and DNB Chief Strategy Officer Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid and during the APU-MY5G Week, which took place from 12 to 15 December 2022, at the Malaysian Premier Digital Tech Institution, APU’s campus in Bukit Jalil.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by APU Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer Prof. Ir. Eur. Ing. Ts. Dr. Vinesh Thiruchelvam and DNB Lead Emerging Technologies Johan Krebbers.

The MoU will see DNB and APU collaborating on key DNB focus areas including sensor technology, edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR), as well as the development of relevant ecosystems in Malaysia.

APU meanwhile, will be providing its state-of-the-art facilities at its Bukit Jalil campus to conduct proof of concepts, develop cutting-edge 5G-enabled use cases, as well as develop 5G curriculum content based on DNB’s requirements.

In addition to developing and providing industry-level micro-credentials to the industry, APU will host more tertiary-level 5G workshops, industry events and seminars.

“DNB’s deployment of the 5G network and infrastructure will go a long way towards catalysing interest in next-gen, 5G-powered products and services. A crucial starting point, however, is at the level of academia. In this regard, we look forward to working with APU to introduce 5G to the country’s latest generation of tech talent,” said Datuk Ahmad Zaki.

The MoU was signed after the recently concluded APU-MY5G Week, which saw attendees engage in four-day discussions on key 5G topics.

Among the key topics discussed were 5G drones and robotics, 5G and AI, 5G and XR, 5G and IOT (Edge), Search and Rescue (SAR), including data robot demonstration on machine learning, digital twins, and more.

“The APU-DNB partnership allows APU to strengthen our technical capabilities and provides the students with experiential learning opportunities within the 5G space via enhanced connectivity in our infrastructure and innovation on to new applications for Smart University developments,” said Prof. Vinesh Thiruchelvam.

“This milestone marks a leap forward in our vision to broaden the 5G digital technology as we look forward to deeper synergies. This collaboration drives an outright vision into producing talents to meet the demand for development in mobile broadband, ultra-reliable low latency and massive machine type communications towards redefining Society 5.0.”