NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA

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JOHOR BARU: Even if you're way past your university-going days, there could be one thing which could inspire you to go back to school.

The problem is that the "one thing" will only be ready in about 10 years so you'll just have to wait, or send your children there instead.

Education is set to go truly international once EduCity, Iskandar Malaysia's exciting educational hub, is completed by 2018.

The 123.4 hectare project under Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) will feature eight faculties each renowned for their medicine, hospitality, engineering, creative multimedia, creative arts and business faculties.

Khairil Anwar Ahmad, IIB's senior vice-president of education and healthcare, said EduCity promises to be a vibrant and exciting place once it is completed as education is a major component of Iskandar Malaysia's comprehensive development plan formulated by Khazanah Nasional.
"Whenever investors come, the first thing they ask is, 'Where are the schools for our children and where are the healthcare facilities for the family?'

"Education is one of the pillars of the comprehensive development plan and our vision for EduCity is for it to become an international education destination," Khairil said at a recent interview.

Construction within EduCity itself has already begun, with drainage work beginning ahead of schedule while Bandar Nusajaya, where EduCity is situated, already has the necessary infrastructure.

EduCity has been envisaged as a dynamic atmosphere where students can mingle and get a tertiary education in an international environment.

The eight faculties, each from different international universities, will be placed in one area where they will share a common library and an "International Village" which has hostels, cafeterias, shops and recreational facilities.

Khairil estimates that 12,000 students will be enrolled when EduCity is completely ready in 10 years.

The faculty for the Newcastle University of Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) will be completed by 2011 and ready to admit students in September 2011.

NUMed, with which IIB signed a definitive agreement with on Nov 20, this year, is the only medical school outside of the United Kingdom recognised by the British Medical Council.

"Our universities are selected based on the best in class principle -- they may not be among the Top 10 universities in the world, but they're very strong for the particular faculty that we're looking at for EduCity.

"For example, the University of Newcastle's medical school is ranked fourth in the United Kingdom."

The other faculties have signed MoUs with IIB and will be revealed in due time Khairil said, adding that negotiations have already begun with a top UK engineering faculty and a prestigious Swiss hospitality school.

The most obvious plus point about EduCity, Khairil added, is that its universities will offer degrees identical to those in their home campuses, but at substantially lower cost.

"The government, for instance, spends RM1.2 million to send one medical student to the UK but at NUMed, it will only cost RM600,000."

The cheaper price tag would hopefully attract parents from the Middle East, Indonesia, China and India. EduCity would also provide multiplier economic effects for locals as there will be a demand for bookstores, catering and laundry services.

Academic staff for the institutions will be a mix of local and foreign lecturers, Khairil said.

Apart from tertiary education, EduCity will also include a selection of well-known international schools one of which is the Cempaka International School, an international boarding school for boys.

UK Newcastle University To Set Up Medical Faculty In Malaysia
By Christine Lim
> http://numed.ncl.ac.uk/

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Newcastle University of Medicine plans to set up a medical faculty to known as Newcastle University of Medicine, Malaysia (NUMed), in Iskandar Malaysia, the southern development corridor in Johor, by 2011 in line with its expansion in Southeast Asia.

Newcastle University of Medicine (NUMed) Malaysia Sdn Bhd's chief executive officer Professor Reginald Jordon said the medical faculty based in Iskandar Malaysia will be the first medical university for Newcastle University outside the United Kingdom.

"Iskandar Malaysia will serve as an entry-point into the rest of Asia, and in near vicinity of Singapore and Indonesia," he told Bernama in an interview recently.

Iskandar Investment Bhd's senior vice-president of education and healthcare, Khairil Anwar Ahmad, said UK Newcastle University will be the first university to set up its campus in Educity, Iskandar Malaysia.

"In EduCity, the multi-varsity concept of various faculties offering various disciplines in tertiary education will be housed," he said in an email.

Iskandar Investment, formerly known as South Johor Investment Corporation Bhd, is the sole developer assigned to be the catalytic force for Iskandar Malaysia.

"Iskandar Investment has been actively pursuing institutions, and we plan to bring in a top engineering university from the UK, hospitality school from Switzerland and top university in applied sciences," Khairil said.

He said Iskandar Investment was also eyeing overseas medical schools or institutions to be a key component of EduCity, which is one of its key catalytic developments in Iskandar Malaysia in the education field.

According to Jordon, Iskandar Malaysia serves as a strategic location and provides a conducive environment for study.

"It is strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia.

Hence, we see us being located in Iskandar Malaysia as we are able to provide the best in medical education for students not only in Malaysia but also the wider region," he said.

Construction of the medical campus is expected to be completed in 2011, Jordon said.

"It will involve a land lease cost of RM300 million to RM400 million. In terms of economic benefits to the country, we believe it will have the potential to generate RM2.5 billion to RM3 billion within the next 30 years with the facilities that we are going to establish," he said.

With the setting up of the medical faculty in Iskandar Malaysia, Jordon said students could study in Malaysia and obtain a Newcastle University medical degree at about half the cost of doing so in the UK.

He said the medical faculty in Malaysia will also have collaboration in terms of research and development (R&D) with the main R&D facility in the UK.

"We will focus on stem cell research in Malaysia and the commercial economic potential in this sector," he added.

According to Jordon, NUMed is eyeing the business potential of stem cell activities in Malaysia in collaboration with private enterprises and research institutes.

He said NUMed, the company set up by Newcastle University for its medical campus in Malaysia, also aimed to extend its postgraduate studies in Iskandar Malaysia to specialise in selected fields of medicine in the near future.

Jordan said the target date for the first intake of students for undergraduate studies in Iskandar Malaysia is expected to be in 2009.

"The first and second intake of students will study in Newcastle University, UK, for the first two years and then return to Malaysia to complete the remaining three years in Iskandar Malaysia," he said.

According to Khairil, the setting of NUMed in Iskandar Malaysia represents a landmark achievement in creating a best-in-class international education hub in the region.

-- BERNAMA

Mitrajaya Gets RM63.643 Million Contract In Johor
July 07, 2009 20:04 PM

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An artist's impression of the lecture theatre for the Newcastle University of
Medicine Malaysia in EduCity - Pix provided by Iskandar Investment Berhad

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- Mitrajaya Holdings Bhd has secured a RM63.643 million contract for the contruction works of the main building of Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia campus at Educity in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor.

In an announcement on Bursa Malaysia, Mitrajaya said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pembinaan Mitrajaya Sdn Bhd, had accepted the letter of award for the project.

It said the contract is for a period of 20 months, commencing on July 6, 2009 and to be completed by March 5, 2011.

The contract is expected to contribute positively to the group's future earnings.

--BERNAMA

NUMed Faculty To Completed By 2011, Says Professor
Bernama

JOHOR BAHARU, (Bernama) -- The construction of Newcastle University of Medicine (NUMed), Malaysia's faculty in EduCity, Iskandar Malaysia will be completed by 2011.

NUMed's chief executive officer Professor Reginald Jordan said earth levelling works had been carried out and physical construction of the branch campus would be started soon.

Met by reporters after the signing of a definitive agreement to set up the faculty between the university and Iskandar Malaysia's investment arm, Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre here Thursday, Jordan said the first batch of the students of the branch campus would be enrolled early next year.

"We will bring the initial batch of students to our home campus and they will come back here when the branch campus is compeleted in 2011," he said, adding the NUMed would be fully operational by 2012.

Jordan represented NUMed while IIB was represented by its managing director, Arlida Ariff.

The setting up of the faculty is in line with Newcastle University's expansion plans in Southeast Asia and is its first outside the United Kingdom.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Iskandar Region Development Authority co-chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, who is also Johor Menteri Besar, British High Commissioner Boyd McCleary, Newcastle University's vice chancellor Professor Christopher Brink and IIB chairman Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar.

-- BERNAMA

About NUMed
Malaysia campus

NUMed Malaysia's campus will be situated in Nusajaya, Johor on the Southern peninsula of Malaysia, in Iskandar Malaysia.

The campus will be completed in 2011 and the first students will commence their studies earlier in Newcastle, UK. The proposed site for the NUMed Malaysia campus is 1km east of the Gelang Patah Interchange on the main Linkedua Expressway.

The second Crossing Bridge to Singapore will only be 8km from the campus, and the city of Johor Bahru is a near neighbour.


Location of Malaysia campus
Source: http://numed.ncl.ac.uk/about/

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Detailed view of NUMed campus location in Educity

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Photographs courtesy of UEM Land Sdn Bhd

Quality Education At Home In Iskandar
06 January 2009 , Johor Buzz (NST)

COME 2011, students in Johor can start enjoying the perks of a first-class overseas education right at their doorstep when Iskandar Malaysia’s EduCity project, a 123.4-ha international education hub, takes off with its first university campus.

By September 2011, the Newcastle University of Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) will be completed and ready to admit its first batch of students.

NUMed will offer courses identical to those taught at its parent campus in Newcastle, England.

The university, known for its prestigious medical faculty, is not the only institution set to make its mark in EduCity. Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) is holding negotiations with an array of international colleges and universities.

Emphasis is on courses that are consistent with forward-looking development projects, said IIB senior vice-president of education and healthcare Khairil Anwar Ahmad. Only faculties considered “relevant” to Iskandar Malaysia are selected to be part of EduCity.

At present, a memorandum of understanding has also been signed with Cempaka International School, an international boarding school for boys.

Khairil said MoUs had also been signed with other institutions.

“We, however, cannot reveal them now as the MoUs have confidentiality clauses, but rest assured they are among the best in their respective fields,” he said, hinting that negotiations had already begun with a top UK engineering faculty and a prestigious Swiss hospitality school.

“We want graduates who can satisfy the demand and needs of the economic activities of the projects we are developing. Because of this, our focus is on finance, business, information and computer technology and engineering.

“Apart from that, a medical school is essential for the community, while a hospitality school is necessary to cater to the needs of investors.”

Piling work for the campus began on Dec 22, while infrastructural development within EduCity commenced some time ago, ahead of schedule.

Khairil said Bandar Nusajaya, where EduCity is situated, already had an electricity, road and drainage network.

“The presence of quality universities which offer degrees identical to those at their home campus, but at substantially lower costs. Not only will it cost less, but Malaysian students will fit in easier here, culturally and socially,” Khairil said.

Newcastle University Of Medicine Malaysia Opens For Enrolment
06 May 2009 , BERNAMA

JOHOR BAHARU, May 5 (Bernama) -– The Newcastle University of Medicine (NUMed) Malaysia has opened enrolment for the first intake to study at its campus at Educity in Iskandar Malaysia.

Numed Malaysia Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer Professor Reginald Jordan said the university would offer 40 places for the initial intake of Malaysians and international students.

“The students will undertake the first two years of the bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery (MBBS) programme at the Medical School in United Kingdom in September and will return to Malaysia in 2011 to complete year three to five clinical education,” he said.

He said this at a press conference at Iskandar Investment Berhad at Danga Bay, here today.

Jordan, who is also the university’s Dean of International Medical Education, would be here until July to interview the candidates.

NUMed invested a total of RM350 million to build a campus on a 5.26-hectare land in Educity, located one kilometer east of the Gelang Patah Interchange and eight kilometers from the second bridge to neighbouring Singapore.

Those interested to enroll and study at the medical school in Iskandar Malaysia can visit the NUMed website at http://numed.ncl.ac.uk to file their application.

Medical university to take in 40 students for first batch
Friday May 8, 2009

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The campus: Jordan (left) showing the model of the university’s campus in
Educity, Iskandar Malaysia. Looking on are the university’s registrar Liz Smith
(centre) and Newcastle University United Kingdom Dean of Clinical Medicine
Professor Alastair Burt.

JOHOR BARU: The Newcastle University of Medicine (NUMed) Malaysia has opened its enrolment for the first intake of students at its campus at Educity in Iskandar Malaysia.

NUMed Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Professor Reginald Jordan said the university would offer 40 places for the initial local intake and international students.

“The students will undertake the first two years of the bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery (MBBS) programme at the Medical School in United Kingdom in September and will return to Malaysia in 2011 to complete year three to five of clinical education,” he said.

He said this at a press conference at Iskandar Investment Berhad at Danga Bay recently.

Jordan, who is also the university’s Dean of International Medical Education, would be here until July to interview the candidates.

NUMed invested some RM350mil to build a campus on a 5.26ha land in Educity, located one kilometre east of the Gelang Patah Interchange and eight kilometres from the second bridge to neighbouring Singapore.

Those interested to enrol at the medical school in Iskandar Malaysia can visit the NUMed website at http://numed.ncl.ac.uk to file their application. — Bernama

Iskandar's first varsity to open soon
NST Online » Local News
2009/05/06

JOHOR BARU: The first university to establish its campus at Iskandar Malaysia's Edu City will soon start taking in students.

Newcastle University of Me-dicine (NUMed) Malaysia will interview the first batch of students next month. Classes will start in September.

Forty places are available for the initial batch, which will do the first two years of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme (MBBS) at Newcastle University's medical school in Britain.

The students will then return to Malaysia in 2011 for the remaining three years when the NUMed campus is ready.

From 2011, students will spend all five years at NUMed Malaysia.

NUMed Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Professor Reg Jordan said degrees conferred by NUMed Malaysia would be identical to those at Newcastle University, which has one of the best medical faculties in Britain.

"We've received over 200 enquiries ever since news of the campus came out.

"Interviews will be held next month and we'll be selecting the best 40 from the 200 and those who applied after this."

Jordan, who is also dean of International Medical Education at Newcastle University, said the intake of students at NUMed Malaysia would be increased in the years to come.

Forty students will be enrolled in the first two batches but the number will be increased to 100 in 2011.

That number will gradually rise to 120 students in 2012, then an annual enrolment of 180 from 2013 onwards.

"Those applying for places can view the website at http://numed.ncl.ac.uk," Jordan said at the Iskandar Investment Bhd's headquarters here yesterday.

NUMed will eventually employ 130 academic staff, 90 per cent of whom will be Malaysian. A total of STG65 million (RM350 million) was invested on infrastructure for the NUMed campus.

Jordan said the cost of obtaining an MBBS at NUMed Malaysia would be half of that spent in Britain.

British U to start campus in Johor
TheStar

KUALA TERENGGANU: The prestigious Newcastle University in Britain plans to open a medical campus in Johor by 2011.

British High Commissioner Boyd McCleary said the campus would be the first international branch campus for Newcastle University while 18 other universities in Britain were interested to have links in Malaysia.

“The medical campus offers several medicine and bio-medical related courses,” he said after calling on Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said at his office in Wisma Darul Iman during his two-day visit to the state.

The Newcastle University Medi-cine Malaysia campus would be located at the Iskandar Region.

On his meeting with Ahmad, Mccleary said it focussed on education and areas of enhancing English proficiency among the locals.

He said the British Council would continue to provide the expertise on the teaching of English in Terengganu schools.

McCleary will also visit the British Petroleum (BP) plant in Kemaman where the company was planning to expand its operation.

Iskandar Malaysia in great shape, says MB
TheStar

JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Malaysia is still maintaining its investment momentum despite the slowing global economic climate, raking in RM40.25bil in investments since its inception two years ago.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said this represented 85.6% of total investments targeted to flow into the corridor by 2010.

He gave his assurance that the slowdown will not hurt investments already made in Iskandar Malaysia because the foreign partners they were working with were strong.

Even the government had been awarding projects over the past six months to develop infrastructure-related projects totalling RM452mil, Abdul Ghani said.

The Federal Government has allocated RM6.83bil for Iskandar Malaysia under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

There has been tremendous momentum in the past two years and despite the slowing economic environment, Iskandar was still moving forward on schedule, he said.

Abdul Ghani said Iskandar received RM14.45bil this year alone compared with RM11.3bil in 2006.

On Singapore’s position in Iskandar, he said they were the third-largest investor after Japan and Spain to invest in the manufacturing sector, which represented 50% of the investment secured so far.

Khazanah Nasional managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar said that while the Government would have to slow down on mega projects, Iskandar Malaysia would be unaffected as it has been allocated a significant amount for development.

“Our partners such as Millennium Development International Company, Kuwait Finance House and Mudabala Development Company are strong partners and our mega projects are moving,” he said.

Mitrajaya unit gets RM63.6m job at Iskandar Malaysia Educity
Written by Yong Min Wei
Tuesday, 07 July 2009 21:26

KUALA LUMPUR: Mitrajaya Holdings Bhd's (MHB) wholly owned subsidiary Pembinaan Mitrajaya Sdn Bhd has accepted the letter of award for the proposed construction of main building works for the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia Campus at Educity in Iskandar Malaysia for RM63.64 million.

According to a Bursa Malaysia filing today, Mitrajaya said the contract shall be for a period of 20 months starting from July 6, 2009, and to be completed by March 5, 2011, adding that it was expected to contribute positively to MHB Group's future earnings.

Mitrajaya awarded varsity campus job
Published: 2009/07/08

PROPERTY and construction firm Mitrajaya Holdings Bhd has won a RM63.6 million contract to build the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia Campus in Johor.

Its wholly-owned unit Pembinaan Mitrajaya Sdn Bhd received the letter of award on July 3.

The main campus building is located at Educity in Iskandar Malaysia.

The contract is for 20 months starting from July 6 and ending on March 5 2011, Mitrajaya told Bursa Malaysia yesterday.

Mitrajaya surges past 1-yr high
Written by Joseph Chin
Wednesday, 08 July 2009 09:37

KUALA LUMPUR: Mitrajaya Holdings Bhd’s share price surged past a one-year high to 59.5 sen in early trade on July 8 after it secured a RM63.64 million contract for a university in Johor.

At 9.29am, it was up 11.5 sen to 59.5 sen, the highest since May last year. There were 72,300 shares done.

However, the FBM KLCI fell 6.03 points to 1,060.33. Turnover was 76.49 million shares valued at RM70 million.

Yesterday, Mitrajaya said it had secured a RM63.64 million contract for the main building works of a university in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor.

The project was for the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia campus at Educity in Iskandar Malaysia.

Source: http://www.iskandarinvestment.com/downloads/project/1Medini_BROCHURE_2009.pdf

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Studying medicine made cheaper
2009/05/20

FIFTY years ago, to study medicine, a Malaysian had to go to Dublin University.

Today, Dublin University has a medical college in Penang. It is just a stone's throw from the Penang Hospital.

With the establishment of the Iskandar Corridor, the University of Newcastle will be setting up a university to teach medicine there.

The cost of studying medicine is astronomical. Students spend vast sums of money to study medicine overseas.

With the university to teach medicine at our doorstep, there is drastic cost saving.

It is the genius of our fifth prime minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, that this great achievement has come to be.

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Grand plan: Abdul Ghani admiring a model of the new Newcastle University
campus in Nusajaya yesterday. With him are (from left) the university’s dean
of international medical education Prof Reg Jordan, vice-chancellor Prof Chris Brink and Azman

Newcastle University invests RM100m in Nusajaya
By EILEEN HEE

KUALA LUMPUR: Newcastle University will set up a RM100mil medical faculty in Nusajaya, Johor, via a joint venture with Iskandar Investment Bhd by 2011.

According to Dean of International Medical Education and CEO of Newcastle Medicine Malaysia Sdn Bhd Professor Reginald Jordon, students will be able to obtain a Newcastle University medical degree at about half the cost of doing so in Britain when Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) is set up in Iskandar Malaysia.

“At the moment, we have about 40 Malaysian students on our medical programme in Britain. A large number of those students is sponsored by Mara,” he told StarBiz.

With this five-year programme, the Malaysian Government would be able to fund more students for the medical degree at NUMed, Jordon said.

Set on a 13-acre site and comprising 16,000 sq m of academic space, the campus aims to produce 180 medical students per year by 2017.

“We will start taking 40 students by next year. While the campus is being built, students will do their first two years in Britain. They will then come back to the NUMed campus when it is completed in 2011,” he said.

“Once the campus is completed, we expect to have the whole programme in Malaysia. We are now in discussions with the Health Ministry and hospitals in Johor which will be working with us.”

Jordon was optimistic on the prospects of the education industry, citing that the World Bank had predicted that by 2025 there would be 60 million people from Asia demanding higher education.

“Malaysia has also set an ambitious target of 100,000 international students by 2010. Furthermore, it was recently announced by the Indian government that over the next 10 years, they would need an additional five million doctors,” he said.

Plans were also in the pipeline to establish a post-graduate centre in the campus, Jordan said, adding: “This is to enable us to provide continuing professional development for our own staff and also extend that facility to doctors in the public and private hospitals in Johor.

“We hope to not just contribute by educating the undergraduates but also in post-graduate development. In 2011, we will be introducing our Masters degree.”

'Offer local firms incentives to invest in Iskandar Malaysia'
By Anis Ibrahim Published: 2009/08/17

ISKANDAR Malaysia in Johor is likely to recover from the economic slowdown much faster than other parts of the country.

Despite the downturn, foundation infrastructure work has begun, and there is clear political will to make the economic corridor a success, a senior valuer said.

Chartered valuation surveyor Samuel Tan said Iskandar Malaysia's proximity to Singapore and the multi-million-ringgit allocation from the federal government are also factors which will help Johor pick itself up better than others.

"A lot of overseas interest was generated when Iskandar Malaysia was launched in 2006. Johor Baru, which had been in a property slump for the past decade, is now seen as a place with good investment potential.

"Malaysians are sceptical (of Iskandar Malaysia's success) because of how the past years went, but I would remind them that it's a 25-year plan. Things will not change overnight," he said.

Tan, who is also executive director of KGV-Lambert Smith Hampton in Johor Baru, added that a statutory body like the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) also helps to convince foreign investors of the groundwork which the government has set up.

And while much still needs to be done on projects such as EduCity and the Newcastle University of Medicine Malaysia, important foundation work has begun.

"I can give examples of the Eastern Dispersal Link, Jalan Yahya Awal interchange, Southern Link and Senai-Desaru Expressway - all these facilitate traffic flow. "I believe that by the time these roads are ready, Johor Baru will have recovered from the slump and be ready to move forward."

Tan was cautious when asked to comment on reports of soaring property prices, following the Iskandar Malaysia development.

"It's true that following extensive promotion, Iskandar Malaysia captured a lot of foreign interest and things started looking up.

"Unfortunately, the present slowdown set in soon after that. So recovery has been derailed a bit."

House prices in Johor fell nearly 25 per cent following the 1997-98 economic crisis.

A two-storey house in Perling, Johor Baru, which sold for RM280,000 in 1997 will fetch about RM180,000 today.

Tan said although this trend was likely to continue next year, there could be some light at the end of the tunnel next year.

"For instance, about four years ago, a company bought 12ha of commercial land at RM30psf for a large department store in Johor Baru. More recently, they bought another plot of land but this time at RM65psf.

"Even in these uncertain times this company was willing to pay twice the price for this new piece of land. This is a sign that we're slowly moving towards better times, most probably in 2011 or 2012."

The next two years, Tan said, will be a time for Iskandar Malaysia to build up its foundation and strengthen ties with new and prospective investors.

He suggested that Iskandar Malaysia stop depending on foreign investments for the next couple of years.

"I've heard local investors claim that they're not given a level playing field. For the next two years, make it easier for local investors to set up in Iskandar Malaysia. Why not offer incentives for local companies to come in.

"The reason I'm suggesting this is because foreign investors first need to get their own house in order before they can invest overseas whereas Iskandar Malaysia cannot wait, it has to continue.

"And in the meantime, where else do we get investors from, but from our own shores," he said.

Despite the uncertainties surrounding the current business climate, Tan was hopeful about the property market in Johor.

"We're at the stage of building a foundation for Iskandar Malaysia, which is made easier with the close collaboration of the federal and state governments and the private sector.

"With that in mind, we can work towards recovery, which I believe we can expect to see in 2012," he said.

Newcastle University puts new campus in Malaysia
Newcastle University is to establish a medical and biotechnology campus in Malaysia.
By Graham Tibbetts

It will allow students from south-east Asia to gain degrees from a British university at a much lower cost.

Called the NUMed branch campus, the £5million faculty will open in 2011 in the province of Johor.

t is expected to be the precursor to a number of other institutions expanding in the area, including Hull University and several British public schools.

Marlborough College and Oundle School are among those said to be considering campuses in Johor, which could involve sending out experienced teaching staff.

The likely influx has prompted the local government to built a vast complex for the British institutions, which could host 100,000 students and become the new adacemic hub of Asia.

Newcastle's arrival is the latest foreign investment in Johor's Iskandar region, which is regarded as an area ripe for development only a few kilometres from Singapore.

The province is in the midst of an aggressive drive to position itself as the logical spillover from Singapore, now that the city state is running out of land and other resources.

Nottingham University was the first to experiment with the satellite campus in Malaysia and opened its campus on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in 2005, offering identical courses to ones taught in Britain.

Source: http://www.iskandarinvestment.com/downloads/project/1Medini_BROCHURE_2009.pdf

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Newcastle University Medical School
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle_University

The Medical School gained 143 out of a possible 144 points in its six subject areas in the Teaching Quality Assessment and was also the first institution in Europe, second in the world, to be given permission to pursue stem-cell research in human embryos. According to UCAS, Cambridge, Oxford and Newcastle are the most academically selective universities for entry to study medicine in the United Kingdom.The BMC Medicine journal reported medical graduates from Oxford, Cambridge and Newcastle performed better in postgraduate tests than any other medical school in the UK. In 2008 the Medical School announced that they were expanding their campus to Malaysia.

British education, right in Malaysia
Sunday June 21, 2009 Eurofile by CHOI TUCK WO

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/6/21/columnists/eurofile/29khairil.jpg

Campus plan: Khairil Anwar (second from left) showing a model of the
Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia campus in Nusajaya, Johor to (from
right) Newcastle University vice-chancellor Prof Christopher Brink, Johor
Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman and NUMed Malaysia CEO Prof Reg
Jordan recently. — Picture courtesy of Iskandar Investment Bhd

NOTHING beats a good British education. And there’s little doubt that universities in Britain are clearly among the world’s best.

The fact that no less than 400,000 Malaysians have obtained degrees in Britain goes to show the popularity of British education among those back home.

Indeed, international students – including some 12,000 Malaysians – contribute over £2.5bil l(RM14.4bil) in tuition fees alone to the British economy each year.

A staggering figure, you may say.

Then there are those who yearn for the prestige of a British degree but cannot afford to study in Britain.

For them, it is an elusive dream – no thanks to rising tuition fees and stiff upfront payments under the Tier Four (students) points-based visa system.

However, British universities are increasingly expanding abroad and tapping the huge offshore student market, which accounted for nearly £270mil (RM1.5bil) in fees last year.

So, it’s perhaps time to look at a new kind of educational collaboration where – apart from British universities – British-style boarding schools can be brought to Malaysia. This would allow our students to have a British education without leaving our shores.

So far, Cardiff University, Manchester University and University of Reading are said to be eyeing Malaysia while boarding schools like Marlborough College, Wellington College and Epsom College have expressed interest too.

Even the prestigious Cheltenham Ladies College and Roedean All-Girls College are reportedly keen in jumping on the bandwagon.

For the record, Nottingham University already has a branch campus in Semenyih and Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia’s (NUMed) campus in Nusajaya, Johor, is scheduled to open in 2011.

Brain drain

British-Malaysia Society chairman Datuk Neville Green expressed confidence that it was economically and financially viable to set up British-style boarding schools in Malaysia.

He said they could cater to the expatriate children of foreign investors and Asean nationals as well as Malaysians who could not afford to send their children to boarding schools in Britain.

Green said he knew that a number of British public schools were interested in expanding to Malaysia but they were being held back by the global economic downturn.

“The timing is just not right,” he said, adding that it was the right time to start thinking (about expanding to Malaysia) although not the opportune time to make a decision.

He said Wellington College, for instance, was looking at Selangor while Epsom College was eyeing the Kuala Lumpur Education City.

Wellington College, he said, had held talks with its Malaysian counterparts, and it was keen on Selangor because a number of its former students were from that state.

“There is also a need for boarding schools for girls and Cheltenham Ladies College and Roedean College have expressed interest in Malaysia,” he noted.

Green said once the opportunity was ripe, they might take the next step in finding business partners to develop the sites and finance the projects.

Bringing quality British education to Malaysia, he added, would help to reverse the brain drain as parents no longer needed to send their children to study in Britain.

Emerging trend

Malaysian High Commissioner to Britain Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohamad said it was time Malaysians moved away from the mindset of pursuing higher education in Britain.

He said the number of Malaysian students coming to Britain had been declining over the years, with a lot of diversions to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.

“We’re now all over the place, with Australia and New Zealand getting about 32,000 Malaysian students,” he said, adding that many had also gone to Ukraine, Germany and France.

Abdul Aziz said some British universities were trying to capture a slice of the Malaysian market through collaborations with their local counterparts.

He spoke of an emerging trend where British institutions set up boarding schools and campuses in Malaysia.

For instance, he said, Marlborough College, Cardiff University and Manchester University had expressed interest in venturing into Malaysia.

“There are a few more but nothing is concrete yet. It’s still at an exploratory stage,” he added.

Iskandar Investment Bhd’s senior vice-president (education & healthcare) Khairil Anwar Ahmad said talks were under way to bring British-style boarding schools and tertiary institutions to Malaysia.

He said besides NUMed, they hoped to attract eight other universities and several boarding schools to set up branch campuses at Iskandar Malaysia’s EduCity in Nusajaya and other nearby sites.

Other countries in Europe, and Australia and the US have shown interest in establishing branch campuses at Iskandar Malaysia’s EduCity.

“EduCity will be developed into a fully integrated education hub comprising best-in-class faculties of reputable universities,” he added.

And for foreign investors and expatriates who wish to do business or set up a second home in Malaysia, Iskandar Malaysia is offering what may be seen as the ultimate work-live-play environment.

> Choi Tuck Wo is Editor, European Union Bureau, based in London

EduCity to be top of the class
By ZAZALI MUSA Monday September 14, 2009
The Star (http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/14/business/4607432&sec=business)

http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2009/9/14/business/b_01khairil.jpg

Khairil Anwar Ahmad showing the model of
EduCity in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia

Aim to make it leading knowledge hub in the region

JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) wants to position Iskandar Malaysia’s EduCity in Nusajaya as the leading knowledge hub in the region.

Senior vice-president (education & healthcare) Khairil Anwar Ahmad said EduCity would be developed into a unique destination offering quality but affordable higher education for locals and foreigners.

“EduCity will be developed into an educational hub with the best in class faculties from reputable universities in the world,” he told StarBiz recently.

Instead of just one university with eight faculties, EduCity would have eight universities with one specialised faculty each.

The 21.4ha EduCity will be developed in two phases under a 10-year plan (2008-2018). Work on Phase One on 49.12ha has already started and is expected to be operational in 2013 with four universities and 4,000 students.

Under Phase Two, another four foreign universities are expected to set up their branch campuses and these will double the student enrolment.

Britain’s Newcastle University Medicine (NUMed) is the first foreign university to set up its branch campus in Iskandar Malaysia, which is also the university’s first international branch campus.

In a media briefing in May, NUMed Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Professor Reginald Jordan said its Johor campus would be the main catalyst to promote the state as the preferred destination for medical studies.

Construction work on its RM300mil campus on a 5.26ha site has started in Nusajaya; one of the five flagship development zones in Iskandar and is scheduled for completion in May 2011.

The university will offer 40 places in its initial intake and has so far received over 200 enquires from Malaysia, Egypt, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Europe and the United States.
The first two NUMed Malaysia intakes of 40 students each will undertake the first two years of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programmes in Newcastle.

They will return to Malaysia to complete the remaining three years in Johor. Subsequently, from 2011, all five years of the MBBS programme will be delivered at the Nusajaya campus.

Khairil said NUMed professors would be at the Johor campus and deliver the curriculum on a stand-alone basis without any collaboration with other universities.

He said the medical degree would have the name of Newcastle University United Kingdom and the degree recognised by the British Medical Council (BMC).

“It is very significant in the medical fraternity as BMC has never recognised any British medical schools outside Britian,’’ said Khairil.

Established in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1834, the university’s School of Medicine and Surgery is currently ranked fourth in the Times Good University Guide 2009.

About 700 doctors practising in Kuala Lumpur and 7,000 others in the region are graduates of the university.

Khairil said it was cheaper for Malaysians to pursue medicine at NUMed in Nusajaya than in Britain.

Khairil said it cost Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) RM1.2mil to send one student to study medicine at NUMed in Britain. For that amount of money, MARA could sponsor two students in Nusajaya.

He said IIB was focusing on certain universities to open their faculties in EduCity with disciplines that could relate with the Iskandar Malaysia’s Comprehensive Development Plan from 2006 until 2025.

As such, IIB was now talking with several public universities from Australia and Europe interested to open their branch campuses offering hospitality, engineering and marine and logistics-related studies, he said.

He said for the second phase, IIB would be looking at language courses, fine arts and multimedia disciplines to provide support for the creative industry which was one of the new economic pillars in Iskandar.

On a move to attract one of the top China and Hong Kong universities to Iskandar, Khairil said IIB did not have any direct contact with them at the moment but if they were to come to Iskandar, IIB would encourage them to set up their branch campuses in EduCity.

He said unlike commercial investors, universities took a much longer time to come and open branch campuses. While they were here not to make money, they could not lose it.

Khairil said the most important issue for public universities was the market demand in terms of student enrolment and whether the revenue would be able to cover the operational cost.

On the other hand, commercial investors considered several aspects such as return on investment, various risk elements and business opportunities.

“When foreign universities want to open their campuses here, we help them as much as we can to provide the data and the information they need to prepare a solid business plan,” said Khairil.

He said when universities decide to come, they would be here for the long term and the most important thing was to protect their brand name.

Much to gain by having foreign universities
September 14th, 2009

»A lot of universities are looking at what they call transnational education beyond their borders «

EduCity, one of the seven signature developments in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia, will be positioned as the leading educational hub in the region. Iskandar Investment Bhd senior vice-president (education & healthcare) Khairil Anwar Ahmad talks to StarBiz on a range of subjects.

STARBIZ: How do you see the presence of foreign universities in EduCity benefitting the country?

Khairil: Foreign universities will bring in intellectual capital and we can encourage them to work and collaborate with local public universities through joint-research opportunities and student exchange programmes.

For instance, Newcastle University Medicine (NUMed) is not stingy in sharing knowledge with others; its focus is on public health and it wants to be part of the community.

In fact, the university last year conducted a free seminar for doctors from all over Johor together with the state Health Department.

The department was happy as this was an opportunity for doctors to gain new knowledge. (In future) all NUMed students from the Nusajaya campus will do their housemanship in 15 public hospitals in Johor.

StarBiz: How big is the education sector in Iskandar Malaysia, particularly at EduCity?

Khairil: I can’t give you the exact dollar value but the economic spin-offs are there in terms of creating job opportunities, not only for the academic staff but also other support services.

Phase One of EduCity will have four universities with 4,000 local and international students. These universities will need related products and services for their staff and students such as in catering, office supply and information technology.

Let us look at NUMed for instance; it will generate 200 job opportunities when opened in May 2011 and in terms of operation, it will spend millions of ringgit yearly and that millions will go into the local economy.

StarBiz: Why do these universities need to open branch campuses away from their home countries?

Most of them see that Asia is a good market because of the population, lower operating cost, there is a hunger for knowledge and it is becoming too expensive to study in Britain or the United States.


Khairil Anwar Ahmad showing the model of EduCity in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia

At the same time, they are looking for new opportunities in research and development. To them, it is not money gained but more on the knowledge gained.

Again on NUMed; they can learn about tropical diseases such as dengue or malaria, which back in Britain, the students only read about in books, but here they can do research and gain knowledge.

$13bn committed to Malaysian metropolis
FT.com, September 28, 2009
By Kevin Brown in Johor Bahru

More than $13bn has been committed to an ambitious plan to create a metropolis at the southern tip of Malaysia three times the size of Singapore, says the chief executive of the state agency set up to drive the project.

Arlida Ariff, chief of Iskandar Investments, told the Financial Times in an interview that a further $2bn (€1.4bn, £1.3bn) was likely to be committed in the next two years, including nearly $300m in retail investment expected to be announced over the next few months.

Ms Ariff said the 2,217sq km project, launched in 2006 by Abdullah Badawi, former prime minister, was beginning to make “real progress” as contractors drove highways and other basic infrastructure through thousands of hectares of jungle and abandoned palm-oil plantations in the state of Johor.

In the long-run, the biggest single source of investment is likely to be Singapore, whose central business district is not much more than half an hour’s drive from Iskandar’s proposed financial district.

The attraction for Singapore is the low cost of land, office space and housing, which are currently about 80 per cent cheaper in the Iskandar economic zone. Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s prime minister, has joined Najib Razak, his Malaysian counterpart, in backing the project.

However, a surge of Singapore investment could raise nationalist hackles in Malaysia, which has had a prickly relationship with the island state since the two split in 1965 after a brief union.

Mahathir Mohamad, prime minister of Malaysia for 22 years until 2001, last year dismissed Iskandar as little more than a platform for Singapore to extend its sovereignty into Malaysia, warning that Malays would be “driven to live at the edge of the forest”.

Ms Ariff said such fears were overblown, pointing out that Singapore had always been the largest investor in Johor because of its physical proximity and requirements for crucial goods from the state, including food and water supplies.

Much of the investment Iskandar is seeking would help Singapore companies by allowing them to expand locally at low cost, she said, suggesting that the initial ambitions of the financial centre were limited largely to attracting back-office activities such as data processing centres.

“This means we can work in collaboration with Singapore rather than competiting for the same brands and the same products to come across [to Malaysia],” she said.

“Some of this [fear of Singaporean involvement in Iskandar] is to do with the traditional rivalry. Singapore used to be part of Malaysia and it’s like watching your kid brother grow up and become more successful than you.”

The project has attracted a clutch of Middle Eastern investors including Mubadala Development, Abu Dhabi’s state investment vehicle; Kuwait Finance House and the Kuwaiti Bank. Other investors include Newcastle University of the UK, which is setting up a medical school, and UK-based Merlin Entertainments, which is building a $220m Legoland theme park.

Ms Ariff said several other investors were in negotiations, with three more university campuses dedicated to engineering, logistics and leisure industries likely to be announced before the end of the year.

Investors are being offered a raft of incentives, including a 10-year corporate tax holiday and exemption from rules requiring local participation in foreign-owned projects.

However, the project remains well short of the target of M$383bn ($109bn, €75bn, £69bn) over 20 years that will be needed to finance the planned doubling of the local population to 3m, a 1.5sq km financial district, eight university campuses, theme parks, hospitals, schools, retirement homes and a resort.

Iskandar: Now best timeto set up shop in EduCity
By Sharen Kaur Published: 2009/10/06

ISKANDAR Investment Bhd (IIB), the catalytic developer of Iskandar Malaysia in Johor, said it will initiate talks soon with foreign business and law school operators to set up shop in EduCity, the 120ha education enclave in Nusajaya.

Managing director Arlida Ariff said there are signs that the economy is recovering and now would be the best time to start talks with players in the education sector to keep EduCity vibrant.

So far, the UK's Newcastle University of Medicine (NuMed) has agreed to set up a branch campus worth US$100 million (RM347 million) in EduCity.

The NuMed campus, the first outside the UK, will start construction soon and open in 2011.

IIB, which is majority controlled by Khazanah Nasional Bhd, is currently in talks with Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz and Maritime Institute de Ruyter, to set up a world-class maritime institute in EduCity.

Arlida said IIB is also in talks with two other universities to set up engineering and hospitality schools in EduCity.

"The plan for EduCity is to have multi-purpose campuses. We are looking at a minimum of eight universities," she told Business Times in an interview.

EduCity, envisioned as 'A Community of Best Practices in Academia', will be developed in two phases under a 10-year plan (2008-2018).

Development on the 49.12ha in the first phase has started. It features four universities with a combined capacity of 4,000 students.

The second phase will see another four universities and this would double the student enrolment.

Meanwhile, IIB has awarded a total of RM1.2 billion worth of infrastructure projects to local contractors since January this year to spearhead developments in Iskandar Malaysia.

IIB had awarded WCT Bhd four contracts worth RM766.5 million to build roads, sewerage pumping stations and electrical sub-stations at Medini in Iskandar Malaysia.

Depending on the amount of new investments coming in next year, IIB may call for new tenders but on a smaller scale.

From Malaysian forum



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MALAYSIA: Knowledge hub in progress
27 September 2009 , By Wagdy Sawahel, universityworldnews.com

Malaysia is developing an education city that it hopes will be partially operational by 2013. Located in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia, the 129-hectare EduCity could eventually have eight universities, each with one specialised faculty, developed in two phases under a 10-year plan.

According to the Institute of International Education, Malaysia has 2% of the world's international student population. It is currently the world's 11th most preferred study destination with almost 70,000 international students from more than 150 countries - the majority from Indonesia, China and the Middle East.

Setting up the education city to achieve the Malaysian Higher Education Ministry's target of 80,000 international students by 2010, was the first step in implementing the nation's National Higher Education Strategic Plan.

Work on the first phase has started and is expected to be operational in 2013 with four universities and 4,000 students. Under the second phase, another four foreign universities will be invited to set up branch campuses and these will double the student enrolment.

Certain universities will be asked to open their faculties to disciplines that could relate to the 20-year Iskandar Malaysia Comprehensive Development Plan.

Negotiations are taking place with several public universities from Australia and Europe to open branch campuses offering hospitality, engineering and marine and logistics-related studies.

In the second phase, Malaysia will look at language courses, fine arts and multimedia disciplines to provide support for the creative industry, one of the new economic pillars in Iskandar.

In March last year, Britain's Newcastle University announced it had been invited to become the first foreign university to establish a branch campus. The university said in a statement at the time that following approval from the relevant bodies, it would replicate its UK programme of two years of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in Malaysia.

The new institution would be known as Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed Malaysia) and would offer 40 places in its initial intake. The university has received more than 200 enquires from Malaysia, Egypt, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Europe and the US. The medical degree will be issued by the University of Newcastle in the UK and is expected to be recognised by the British Medical Council.

Hassanuddeen Abdel-Aziz, an associate professor in the faculty of economics and management sciences at the International Islamic University Malaysia, welcomed the new development, which he sees as an important step in promoting Malaysia as an emerging contender to attract a high percentage of an international student body that is estimated to reach eight million by 2025.

"EduCity will bring intellectual capital to Malaysia, enhance collaboration with local public universities through joint research projects and student exchange programmes, and generate academic job opportunities to tackle the unemployment problem of university graduates as well as the brain drain," Abdel-Aziz told University World News.

EduCity, along with other education cities being launched in Asia and the Middle East, will boost trans-national education and encourage educational innovation to fill skills gaps in labour markets, Abdel-Aziz added.

But Abdel-Aziz warned that branches of foreign universities in education cities in Asia must focus on local educational and scientific research needs and award academic degrees equivalent to those awarded by the home university, or "education cities will be a waste of money, creating palatial cities built by foreign construction companies for the benefit of western companies and managed by imported lecturers."

Johor snags top British school
31 Oct 2009

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 31 — Iskandar Malaysia is bringing in a prestigious British boarding school as the economic zone revs up efforts to woo investors to south Johor.

Marlborough College, which has a long list of famous alumni, will accept its first pupils in 2012 in Nusajaya, a township just across the Tuas Second Link.

It will be Iskandar Malaysia's first international venture.

Marlborough College's chairman, Sir Hayden Phillips, signed the agreement with Arlida Ariff, chief executive of Iskandar Investment Berhad, the developer of the economic zone.

Arlida told The Straits Times that the venture was a major boost for Iskandar as Marlborough College is a prestigious school known for high-quality education.

“Beyond financial reasons, what most senior company officials look for when they relocate, are public amenities, and facilities for their family. That's education, health care, entertainment and job opportunities for spouses,” she said.

Arlida heads the government-owned company that is tasked to undertake “catalyst” developments to attract big-name investors.

The company has already inked joint ventures to build Newcastle University's medical faculty, a Dutch Maritime University and a Legoland theme park.

Iskandar Malaysia is an economic zone three times the size of Singapore, but the initial focus is on the area closest to the Second Link. It was launched three years ago to be a new growth centre by leveraging on its low cost and proximity to Singapore.

The progress has been slow so far. The government has poured in billions of dollars to build infrastructure, a new Johor administrative centre, and residential areas. Most of the big amenities are slated to open in 2012.

To further boost its attractiveness, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak last week announced that “knowledge” workers in Iskandar will have their income tax capped at 15 per cent, compared to 26 per cent for those in the rest of the country.

Arlida described this as a huge boost and also a bold move that will attract investors. Details have yet to be announced.

The biggest investments are from the Middle East. A second theme park is slated to be announced soon, she said.

A Singapore education institution is also in talks with Iskandar Malaysia.

But other than that, Singapore interest has been slow, partly because of Johor's high crime rate. The government has promised to strengthen the police force, while Nusajaya has come up with its own security measures such as gated enclaves.

Arlida said they hoped to attract Singaporeans or expatriates based in the republic to the Marlborough College Malaysia.

“Singapore will be an important market for the school because of its location. It's just 10 minutes away from the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine checkpoint (on the Second Link),” she said.

The co-ed boarding school for students aged between five and 18 will take in the first 350 students in 2012, with a target enrolment of 1,300 by 2020.

Its fees will be comparable to those of other top international schools in Malaysia, ranging from RM35,000 to RM50,000 a year.

The school will follow the British curriculum, and its teaching staff will comprise foreigners and Malaysians. The student mix is expected to be 70 per cent foreigners and 30 per cent locals.

Arlida said the investment cost will be finalised only in a few months, with Iskandar building the infrastructure that will be transferred gradually to Marlborough College over the next 30 years.

The college, which was founded in 1843 in Wiltshire, England, boasts famous alumni, including Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman, aviator Sir Francis Chichester and Princess Eugenie of York, 19, the younger daughter of Prince Andrew. — Straits Times

Universities in Educity



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An artist's impression of the lecture theatre for the Newcastle University of
Medicine Malaysia in EduCity - Pix provided by Iskandar Investment Berhad


Universities in Educity

1.Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed)
2.Dutch Maritime University
3.iCarnegie from United States
4.Al-Bukhari International University
5.Marlborough College Malaysia
6.University of Southampton

Welcome to NUMed Malaysia (http://numed.ncl.ac.uk)

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/biomedicine/assets/images/Malaysia.jpg

Newcastle University UK, is establishing an international branch campus in Johor, Malaysia for the provision of its undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degrees in Medicine. Apply now for September 2010 intake. (Closing date 16 November 2009.)

University's first international campus to open in Malaysia
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/newslink/item/1204809620

The establishment of a branch campus in Malaysia is set to further develop Newcastle University's profile as a world-class institution.

The stage has been set for Newcastle University to establish its first international branch campus in Johor, Malaysia.

The new international branch campus in Johor, Malaysia will be named Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) and will deliver and award the University’s degrees in medicine and biomedical science.

At a simple ceremony in Kota Bahru on the 28th February, Malaysia’s Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Mustapa Mohamed, handed over the formal letter of invitation to Newcastle University’s Dean of International Medical Education, Professor Reg Jordan. They are pictured below with Datuk Azman Mokhtar, Managing Director of Khazanah Nasional who is on the left of the photograph.


The NUMed campus, due to open in 2011, will be located in the Iskandar Development Region in South Johor, strategically positioned within the growth triangle of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

‘With the setting up of NUMed in Iskandar, students will be able to study in Malaysia and obtain a Newcastle University medical degree at approximately half the cost of doing so in the UK’, said Dato’ Mustapa.

Newcastle University expressed delight at this major development in its longstanding relationship with Malaysia. ‘We are deeply honoured to be invited to contribute to the development of Iskandar', said Professor Jordan. 'The Minister’s gracious invitation to establish what will be the University’s first international branch campus marks a major landmark in achieving our internationalisation strategy’.

Professor Jordan added that the new campus will offer an exciting opportunity to contribute to meeting both Malaysia’s human capital needs and its national aspiration to become an international higher education hub in SE Asia.

‘For Newcastle, the establishment of the branch campus will further develop our profile as a world-class university’, continued Professor Jordan.

The Chief Minister of the State of Johor, Dato’ Hj Abdul Ghani Othman said, ‘This development is timely and will provide the opportunity for students to pursue their higher education in the field of medicine at a more affordable cost. The collaboration will also enable transfer of knowledge and the expansion of home-grown expertise’.

From http://numed.ncl.ac.uk/

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UTM, Newcastle to boost Iskandar
2010/01/05

JOHOR BARU: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Newcastle University of United Kingdom are working to bring medical researchers into Iskandar Malaysia.
UTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang said the arrangement with the UK university's medical branch in Nusajaya here was expected to turn the development corridor into a major education and research hub.

"We want to attract teaching staff from the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed Malaysia) in Nusajaya to conduct research at UTM's biomedical and health sciencies faculties," he said yesterday.

NUMed Malaysia is expected to have nearly 20 academic staff in its first phase when it begins operations next year.

Zaini said he would lead a UTM team to Newcastle University's main campus next month for talks on the possibility of training UTM staff in the university.

He said UTM had many joint interests with Newcastle University in the fields of sustainability, aging and cancer-related research in medicine.

"Newcastle will be physically here next year. Following this, UTM is expected to develop programmes for, among others, visiting professorships."

Meanwhile, Newcastle University pro-vice chancellor, Prof C. P. Day, said the student population of NUMed Malaysia was expected to reach nearly 750 in eight years of operation.

Among courses offered by NUMed Malaysia is the acclaimed bachelor of medicine/bachelor of surgery (MBBS) programme.

From 2012, NUMed Malaysia intends to introduce the Newcastle University bioscience degrees and master's in clinical education.

UPDATE:
went down to Nusajaya...

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and piling works besides Newcastle University

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Thanks for the great updates.

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The Nusajaya Campus
NUMed Malaysia’s permanent campus in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia, is under construction and will open in May 2011

Goals of NUMed Malaysia
The aim of NUMed Malaysia is to deliver a cost-effective medical programme of the highest quality in order to meet the needs of both our students and the regional health economy, and to translate the benefits of our academic endeavour for the benefit of Malaysian society and the greater Asian region.

NUMed Malaysia’s goals are:
- To provide globally acclaimed programmes of medical education, responsive to the changing needs of the Malaysian healthcare system, in order to attract and retain national and international students of the highest quality.
- To establish an academic culture and environment which will underpin the recruitment and retention of high-calibre faculty and staff, and empower them in the pursuit of scholarship, the delivery of superior programmes of study, and the production of excellent graduates properly prepared for the global health economy of the 21st century.
- To develop a secure, attractive, supportive and inspiring environment in order to engage highly motivated students in affordable, world-class medical education, irrespective of background.
- To establish firm, mutual relationships with health and other employers in order to ensure that our programmes remain fit for purpose, and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and understanding, the skills and competencies, and the personal and professional attitudes appropriate to professional practice and employment.
- To create and continually improve rigorous administrative systems in order to implement an excellent support strategy for all stakeholders.

Development of the NUMed Campus at Nusajaya
The following images illustrate some of the signature buildings comprising the NUMed Malaysia campus, designed to capture the look and feel of Newcastle University’s UK campus.
> http://www.ncl.ac.uk/numed/about/campus/gallery/index.htm

UPDATE:

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Student Hostel
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UPDATE:
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>>>
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Location 2:
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Location 3:

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Location 4:

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http://super325.com/tag/iskandar-educity/

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http://sixthseal.com/2011/08/legoland-malaysia-johor-premium-outlets-and-more/

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Hi Nazrey,

These updates have been incredible - keep them coming!!

I'm doing a thesis on the cost of constructing universities between UK Vs Malaysia and I wondered if you knew what the size of NUMed was in building terms, i.e. gross internal floor area in m2 ? It is on my list as it has recently completed.

Also, I am interested in the cost and size of the 'Institute of Technology Petronas' in Tronoh which opened in 2004 - you wouldn't happen to have any information on this would you ?

Anything at all would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks

lyons313 :)

NUMed Malaysia's Official Opening
Newcastle University officially opens the doors of its Malaysian Medical campus
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/numed/

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Newcastle University’s Malaysian campus is situated in Nusajaya, Johor, in Iskandar Malaysia. Part of EduCity in Iskandar, it is 1km east of the Gelang Patah Interchange on the main Linkedua Expressway. The Second Crossing Bridge to Singapore is only 8km from the campus, and the city of Johor Bahru is a near neighbour.

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