Category: News

Welcome to this month’s roundup of the stories, updates and events happening across the World Technology Universities Network.

WTUN News:

WTUN Members ONLY:

• REMINDER! The deadline for entries into the WTUN Student Competition is Thursday 11 April 2024.

News from our Members:

Africa:

Women’s University in Africa, Zimbabwe

• Professor Sunungurai Dominica Chingarande, Vice-Chancellor at Women’s University in Africa, spoke at an International Women’s Day 2024 event and outlined that despite efforts to invest in women in higher education within Africa, the statistics show that a gap in gender parity still exists. Professor Chingarande spoke to University World News to discuss strategies to support women in academia and what investing in women means to her. Read the full story here.

Asia:

Ahlia University, Bahrain

• Academic staff at Ahlia University engaged in a debate on “AI Will Replace Humans”, held at the 7th Equal Opportunity Conference attended by leaders, academics and industry experts. The debate concluded with strong opposition from the audience with 64% voting against the idea of AI replacing humans. Read the full story here.
• Ahlia University opens a call for papers for the International Conference on Global Economic Revolutions: The Era of the Digital Economy (ICGER). The conference is organised by Ahlia University, and will be held 1-3 October in a hybrid manner. Submissions on the following topics are encouraged; Artificial Intelligence, Business Innovation & Economic Diversification; Artificial Intelligence, Big Data & the Digital Divide; Business Resilience, Circular Economy & Sustainability Governance; Digital Social Equality, Industry 5.0, Society 5.0. Read the full story here.

Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan

• SIT held the 18th South East Asian Technical University Consortium Symposium (SEATUC2024). The event was attended by fellow WTUN members; King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Suranaree University of Technology and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Students at member institutions engaged in technical and innovative sessions for an active exchange of information, followed by a discussion on the theme “Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Green Transformation and Digital Transformation Era”. Read the full story here.
• Researchers at SIT present findings on their works:
  • Professor Yuki Oyama from the Department of Civil Engineering presents the ‘Global Local Path Choice’ Model, which is a new method to understand the walkability of cities. Dr Oyama’s innovative model emphasises the influence of visual attributes on the local adaptations of path choices from pedestrians.Read the full story here.
  • Professor Naomi Osakabe and Dr Yasuyuki Fujii share their work on ‘Deciphering the Role of Bitter and Astringent Polyphenols in Promoting Well-Being’. Their work looks at polyphenols, abundant in fruits, vegetables, tea and coffee, and how the mechanisms behind their beneficial health benefits work and interact with human sensory receptors. Read the full story here.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

• UTM researchers present their stance on best principles and guidance for water management across borders and continental regions. Malaysia, as a nation, is focussing on leveraging water for peace, whilst also engaging in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which works toward peaceful water-sharing across the region. Read here for Malaysia’s perspective on water resource sharing and here for more on the ASEAN cooperation for water management.
• Noting that bridges are increasingly susceptible to structural failures due to natural disasters, UTM hosted a training session with industry engineers on effective structural health monitoring, for guidance on maintaining bridges in a serviceable state. Read the full story here.
• UTM launches pathways for working adults to access higher education. The initiative will recognise work experience and support transitions for professionals aspiring to pursue master and doctoral degrees. Read the full story here.

Europe:

Atlantic Technological University, Ireland

• ATU has secured Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) funding to research energy efficiency in Traveller communities. The project aims to research and demonstrate societal, economic, political and technological factors affecting the implementation of energy efficiency measures in Traveller communities. Read the full story here.
• ATU, in partnership with Trinity College Dublin, is working to revolutionise energy production by developing low-cost materials to facilitate commercial hydrogen production from renewable sources. Read the full story here.

University of Bradford, United Kingdom

• UOB ‘s Digital Health Enterprise Zone benefits from national funding to develop its work supporting business growth, knowledge and skills development by connecting with academics, researchers and health and social care partners. The use of its Technology House, a dedicated simulation space, also contributes to the training of future healthcare professionals. Read the full story here.
• Trials for a new breast cancer test are taking place at the University’s Institute of Cancer Therapeutics. The test, Ran Diagnostics, is undergoing trials to test its efficacy in practice, outside of clinical studies. If successful, the test will help to cut on costs and personalise cancer treatment for patients by predicting those at risk of their cancer spreading through a quick and accurate test. Read the full story here.

Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany

• TU Ilmenau are participating in a project that develops new courses on sustainability topics and provides support for lecturers to implement the sustainability goals in their teaching within Engineering. Read the full story here.

Australia

University of Newcastle, Australia

• UON welcomes their new Chancellor, The Hon. Patricia Forsythe with an Investiture Ceremony. Chancellor Forsythe is an alumna of the University and is passionate about equity and the belief that education can transform lives. Read the full story here.
• UON’s ‘Field Epidemoiology in Action’ programme has been awarded $7.5M AUD in funding. The program works to improve health by training local health professionals in the Pacific how to investigate and respond rapidly to health threats. Read the full story here.

To discuss joining the Network please contact the WTUN Development Manager
Denise Whitehead
Email: wtun@bradford.ac.uk

Welcome to this month’s roundup of the stories, updates and events happening across the World Technology Universities Network.

WTUN News:

• The WTUN hosted a series of events during the week 4-8 March to mark UNESCO’s World Engineering Day. We would like to thank all of the speakers for their participation. Missed the live events? Watch back here or the WTUN YouTube Channel

WTUN Members ONLY:

• REMINDER! The deadline to submit proposals to the WTUN Exchange Programme 2024 is Thursday 21 March 2024

News from our Members:

Asia:

Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan

• Researchers at SIT have developed a novel AI-based noise suppression system for more effective victim detection by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) during natural disasters. Current UAVs depend on visual information and are unable to detect victims trapped under rubble as their propellers can drown out human sounds. Read the full story here.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

• The Geoscience and Digital Earth Centre -INSTeG at UTM is using Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) data and geospatial modeling for coastal zone management. The main focus is to monitor the seagrass habitat in the Straits of Johor to conserve the dugong population, which is already classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Read the full story here.

North America:

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Canada

• SAIT’s Director of Indigenous Engagement, Jennifer Russell (Sik’see na ki) reflects on International Women’s Day, safety for Indigenous Women and the historical and present-day power of Indigenous women in Canada. Read the full story here. 
• SAIT launches a post-diploma certificate program in Artificial Intelligence to teach students how to integrate AI into existing skillsets. The program will focus on AI tools like ChatGPT and CoPilot whilst examining the implications and responsible practices of AI. Read the full story here.

South America:

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

• UFRN participated in the collaboration of the National Institute of Science and Technology – Klimapolis to prepare Brazilian urban areas for climate change, address environmental problems and improve the quality of life of the population, in coastal cities such as Natal in Rio Grande do Norte. Read the full story here.

Europe:

Atlantic Technological University, Ireland

• ATU hosted an Engineering Fair at their Sligo campus. The fair was organised in collaboration with Engineers Ireland NW and a global healthcare leader, Abbott, offering a wide range of performances, workshops, and demonstrations for families to enjoy. The Abbott’s Engineering Room, allowed attendees to get hands-on experience with various aspects of STEM disciplines. Read the full story here.
• The latest edition of ATU’s Magazine is now out with a great story around ATU’s WiSTEM Society which aims to empower Women in STEM (pages 22-23). The Society is headed by Dr Anurshree Dwivedi also spoke at our WTUN for World Engineering Day Event, ‘Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in STEM’. Read the ATU Magazine, Issue 12 here.

University of Bradford, United Kingdom

• UOB launches a £1.9 million project named SIBLING (Scientific Instrumentation for Business Leadership in Innovation and Growth) will provide SMEs with scientific equipment in the University’s centres and laboratories. SIBLING will deliver 45 fully-funded research and innovation projects between September 2023 and March 2025. Read the full story here.

To discuss joining the Network please contact the WTUN Development Manager
Denise Whitehead
Email: wtun@bradford.ac.uk

Welcome to this month’s roundup of the stories, updates and events happening across the World Technology Universities Network.

WTUN News:

• We have welcomed our newest member, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) based in Calgary, Canada. SAIT is a national leader in applied research and development expertise and is committed o sustainable research and innovation. Read the full press release here: Read SAIT Press Release

WTUN Members ONLY:

• WTUN for UNESCO’s World Engineering Day programme is available to view. We have confirmed three sessions with a full lineup of speakers. You can view the schedule here: View World Engineering Day Programme
  • Monday 4 March: ‘Latest developments in Energy Storage and Conversion’ hosted by Dr Christina Toigo, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
  • Tuesday 5 March: ‘Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in STEM’ hosted by Professor Ami Agrawal, Hindustan Institute of Technology and science
  • Thursday 7 March: ‘ Theory into Practice: Addressing the Water-Energy-Health-Environment (WEHE) Nexus’ hosted by Professor Iqbal Mujtaba, University of Bradford
• You can book your place to attend any of the events here: Book your place

Member Institution News:

Asia:

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, India

• HITS hosts ‘International Conference on Integration and Transformation with SDGs’ on the 15 & 16 April 2024. “ICITS 2024 is an essential platform for defining and reaffirming the mutually beneficial responsibilities that National and International academia…play in realizing the SDGs by 2030. This conference will jointly design strategies, harness new solutions and create collaborations to enable the unstoppable movement essential for sustainable development. Find out more about ICITS 2024.
• HITS hosted colleagues from fellow WTUN members University of Newcastle, Australia to initiate research and academic collaboration and remain committed to providing global education to their students. Read more here.
• HITS unveils two new state-of-the-art labs for Aerospace Engineering and kicks off a 3-day national workshop on Advances in Aerospace Structural Design with guests from the Indian Government’s Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and their Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL). Read more here.

Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan

• Researchers at SIT “present a unique wearable device that can provide personal thermal control, while also being lightweight, compact, and stylish”. The device aims to support body temperature management, offer thermotherapy and act as an alternative to liquid cooling garments for race car drivers, surgeons, chemotherapy and multiple sclerosis patients, and athletes. Read the full story here.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

• UTM is one of three universities to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for research on environment conservation with Gamuda Land. “Gamuda Parks and UTM will work together to connect academia and the industry through the sharing of space, materials, equipment, and facilities for teaching, learning and lifelong education.” Read the full story here.

North America:

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Canada

• Welcoming SAIT, the newest WTUN member, by introducing their research centres:
  • Centre for Innovation and Research in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials – Read more about this centre here
  • Centre for Energy Research and Clean Unconventional Technology Solutions – Read more about this centre here
  • Green Building Technologies – Read more about this centre here
• SAIT’s Expert in Residence, Dr. Bill Rankin, offered his thoughts on the human side of Artificial Intelligence back in November 2023. He discussed safeguarding the voices of equity-seeking groups as AI tools become more prevalent. Read the article here.

Europe:

Atlantic Technological University, Ireland

• ATU researchers show off their findings:
  • Prof Suresh C. Pillai, WTUN Exchange Programme Recipient 2022-23, has partnered with Trinity College Dublin the Nano2H2 project, which addresses three key aspects – energy production, waste management, and environmental protection – to promote circular economy. Read more here.
  • ATU’s Dr Marion McAfee is making waves in the world of personalised medicine through groundbreaking 3D printing research. The project focuses on advancing healthcare solutions for the ageing population by utilising 3D printing to create personalised medicine.  Read more here.
• On 21 February, ATU hosted its inaugural TEDx event on its Donegal Letterkenny campus, under the theme “Seeing the Light.” The lineup included writers, robotics experts, theatre designers and business leaders. Read more here.
• ATU takes part in an initiative to introduce higher education courses for students with intellectual disabilities, marking a significant stride towards inclusivity and equal opportunities in education. Read the full press release here.
• ATU launches the Local Energy Agencies in Peripheral Regions (LEAP) project. The launch event brought together experts and stakeholders from across the energy sector to discuss strategies for energy retrofitting and achieving Ireland’s Climate Action Plan targets. Read more here.

University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Austria

• FHOO student, Patricia, shares her experience attending fellow WTUN member Suranaree University of Technology’s Global Entrepreneurship Camp. Read more here.
• FHOO’s International Summer Academy in Engineering for Women 2024 with a theme of Empowering Female Engineers is still open for applications. Female Engineering students between 18-25 are invited to apply to the Academy, taking place 9-24 July 2024. Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to broaden their technical and scientific knowledge, explore the impact of technology on future societies and network and connect with peers across the world. Read more here.

University of Bradford, United Kingdom

• A revolutionary method of assessing transplant organs developed at the University of Bradford has been named as a finalist for a major National Health Service (NHS) award. Organ Quality Assessment  (OrQA) will employ artificial intelligence-based facial recognition technology to ‘score’ potential transplant organs, saving money, time and potentially lives. Read the full story here.

Australia:

University of Newcastle, Australia

• 7 UoN researchers have secured $10.6m AUD to improve the health of the Australian population. Awarded projects include topics such as young people’s mental health, sustainable chronic disease prevention and digital health interventions. Read the full story here.
• UoN launches the Central Coast Health & Wellbeing Living Lab. “The Lab presents a unique opportunity for older people to work alongside our University as well as healthcare and aged-care providers to test and deliver solutions to four core challenges our older people face: community connectivity, technology-enabled homes, care at home and preventative technology.” Read the full story here.

To discuss joining the Network please contact the WTUN Development Manager
Denise Whitehead
Email: wtun@bradford.ac.uk

Welcome to this month’s roundup of the stories, updates and events happening across the World Technology Universities Network.

WTUN News:

• Join us for the next in our Exchange Speaker Series! Thursday 15 February at 12:00 GMT Dr Fernando Camargo from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte will share details of his exchange visit to University of Bradford. Full details here.

WTUN Members ONLY:

• We are building a programme of events coinciding with UNESCO’s World Engineering Day. A call for speakers is now live. We invite you to contact us if you are an academic at one of our member institutions and would like to speak at either of our proposed sessions, or suggest a session of your own. Our current sessions include:
  • A knowledge sharing session focused on projects, initiatives, and work to increase participation in STEM from underrepresented groups. Read more here.
  • A session on Latest Developments in Energy Storage and Conversion, led by Dr Christina Toigo, from University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria Read more here.
• To suggest your own session, please email wtun@bradford.ac.uk.

Member Institution News:

Asia:

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

• Taiwan Tech publishes their newsletter showcasing their latest news and updates. This issue’s stories include the launch of a Master’s Program in Cybersecurity in collaboration with industry partners and their Centre of General Education’s progress in shaping curriculum aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Read more here.

Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan

• Back in December 2023, the ‘IRCGE Green Energy Workshop’ was held at SIT. The workshop, organised by Mele lab and endorsed by the International Research Centre for Green Electronics (IRCGE), was attended by eminent scientists from Japan and overseas to present research on advanced materials and the sustainable energy solutions they enable. Read more here.

Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand

• In collaboration with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Sufficiency Economy Philosophy for Sustainability (SEAMEO-SEPS), SUT held the opening session for the 2024 Southeast Asian Youth Camp on Sustainable Development Goals. 56 participants from 11 schools attended from a host of countries such as Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Laos. The camp employs a design thinking approach, emphasising empathy, creative problem-solving and collaboration to inspire learners to integrate Sufficiency Economy Philosophy into school routines. Read more here.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

• UTM publishes UTM ENGAGE Magazine, which highlights the success of their current academics and staff. Featured stories include work on river conservation, restoration and preservation within the region. Read more here.

Europe:

Atlantic Technological University, Ireland

• ATU launches its Biomass Heat Centre (BHC) and district heating network, showcasing its commitment to sustainability, renewable energy and carbon reduction. Read more here.
• ATU secures €19.6 million in funding through the TU Rise programme which aims to establish, equip and staff research and innovation offices to foster engagement with local and regional industry. Read more here.

Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany

• Hamm-Lippstadt receive €1.5 million to generate solutions for sustainable industrial parks. The funding will allow academics to explore what modern industrial spaces should look like and how they should be planned to focus on space-saving and climate-resilient planning and construction in conjunction with climate-friendly energy supply.. Read more here.

University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Austria

• FHOO announce their International Summer Academy in Engineering for Women 2024 with a theme of Empowering Female Engineers. Female Engineering students between 18-25 are invited to apply to the Academy, taking place 9-24 July 2024. Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to broaden their technical and scientific knowledge, explore the impact of technology on future societies and network and connect with peers across the world. Read more here.

University of Bradford, United Kingdom

• UoB’s School of Management takes on a key role in testing the viability of a 6G network as part of a €13 million EU-funded trial. The university will analyse the use of 6G in test cases across themes of health, smart cities, farming, and education to consider the efficacy and the socio-economic impacts of 6G use, Read more here.

Australia:

University of Newcastle, Australia

• UoN’s Hunter Cleantech Accelerator has been awarded $438,000 AUD to support the programme in offering opportunity to tech-enabled entrepreneurs across the sectors of clean energy, clean water, recycling and waste, supply chain, built environment, air quality, and transportation. The programme provides them with the opportunity to bring products to market and foster local innovators. Read more here.

To discuss joining the Network please contact the WTUN Development Manager
Denise Whitehead
Email: wtun@bradford.ac.uk

Welcome to this month’s roundup of the stories, updates and events happening across the World Technology Universities Network.

WTUN News:

• We hosted two webinars in January:

  WTUN Exchange Programme: Speaker Series – Dr. Ammar Al-Balushi, Head of Faculty of Business Management, Majan University College Oman (MUC visits SUT)

  The WTUN celebrates International Day of Clean Energy – Featuring Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Suranaree University of Technology,  University of Applied Science Upper Austria and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

  Recordings of all WTUN online events can be found at the WTUN’s YouTube Channel

• Join us for the next in our Exchange Speaker Series! Thursday 15 February at 12:00 GMT Dr Fernando Camargo from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte will share details of his exchange visit to University of Bradford. Full details here.

Member Institution News:

Asia:

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, India

• HITS is hosting the ‘International Conference on Integration and Transformation with SDGs (ICITS-2024)’ on 23-24 February 2024. Read more here.

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand

• Back in December 2023, KMUTT held a meeting at their Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment to discuss fostering collaboration in sustainable biomass utilizaton and decarbonization. The meeting was attended by representatives from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the Embassy of Finland, SCG Packaging and SCG Cement. Read more here.

Majan University College, Oman

• MUC students share their experiences and highlights from their time at fellow WTUN member Suranaree University of Technology’s Global Entrepreneurship Camp. Watch the highlights here. The visit took place following on from Dr Ammar AlBalushi’s exchange visit to SUT. You can watch the recording of the webinar with Dr AlBalushi where he revisited his experience as a recipient of the WTUN Exchange Programme 2022-23  here.

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

• Taiwan Tech hosts their second annual Infinity Festival aimed at promoting sustainable development to create a low-carbon campus. Read more here.

Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand

• SUT is shortlisted for two THE Awards Asia 2024: ‘Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership’ for their Klong Plakang Tral Project which address environmental, human-animal conflict and community economic issues, funded by the Canadian Embassy & ‘Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences’ for their silk innovation community model in Korat. Read more here.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

• UTM partners with Cisco to pioneer an initiative that will shape the future of Education with Smart Classrooms for Hybrid Learning. Read more here.

South America:

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

• UFRN profiles MEG: Girls in Engineering community outreach project which acts to narrow the gender gap in young adults and teenagers in STEM subjects. The project carries out visits to girls from public secondary schools in Natal with a team of undergraduate students who give lectures, short courses and lead on dynamic activities to engage young female children to pursue engineering. Read more here.

Europe:

Atlantic Technological University, Ireland

• ATU hosts The WP8 EU Green Workshop where nine universities come together to foster sustainable and healthy campus initiatives. The workshop took place at ATU Donegal and ATU Sligo campuses. Read more here.
• The 2nd ATU Modelling and Computation for Health and Society (MOCHAS) Symposium takes place at their Sligo campus with focusses on how ATU’s research addresses the UN’s SDGs through a variety of technologies. Read more here.

Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany

• HSHL has received €6 million euros of funding for the ‘Workbench Sector Coupling’ project, which is intended to support market players in the concrete implementation of climate-friendly measures in the field of energy supply through a mutual transfer of knowledge and technology. Read more here.

Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany

• TU Ilmenau opens the doors for the first time to children and young people through the Children’s and Youth University. Featuring lectures on science, technology and media, all with a focus on sustainability, the programme is designed to give young people a taste of university life, tailored for their knowledge levels. Read more here.
• TU Ilmenau secures a €6.4 million for their Digital Mobility Research Initiative centre to focus on digital methods within its environmentally friendly, resource-saving, low-emission engineering work. Read the post here.

University of Bradford, United Kingdom

• UoB’s Centre for Digital Innovations in Health and Social Care wins £4.86 million from Research England’s Expanding Excellence in England Fund to support two flagship research programmes aimed at creating novel technologies to disrupt current practices and improve decision-making and develop and evaluate technologies that reduce the carbon footprint whilst improving patient care within health and care systems. Read more here.
• UoB launches The Bradford-Renduchintala Enterprise Ecosystem (BREE) to provide financial and mentoring support from business leaders to young entrepreneurs. The project has been partly funded by a donation made by University of Bradford alum, Dr Murthy Renduchintala and will be open to staff, students and the local community. Read more here.

Australia:

University of Newcastle, Australia

• UoN’s research project with LAVO, a clean energy company, showcases hydrogen storage and technology that supports storing surplus energy. Read more here.
• UoN social work researchers publish findings that the community-based response to the 2022 Norther Rivers’ flooding. predominantly led by women, was hugely sophisticated and successful, where authorities failed. Read more here.
• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grants have been awarded to a number of UoN researchers to support projects looking into preterm birth, treatments for severe asthma and COPD, and how environmental signals from fathers are passed onto their offspring via sperm. Read more here.

To discuss joining the Network please contact the WTUN Development Manager
Denise Whitehead
Email: wtun@bradford.ac.uk