UiTM FIRST TO OFFER HP SOFTWARE EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN MALAYSIA

SHAH ALAM, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Local Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) has the
distinction to be the first university in Malaysia to offer the Hewlett-Packard
(HP) Software Education Programme.

The 17-day programme starting Nov 30 is being offered to 100 final year
students from its Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics.

UiTM Vice-Chancellor Profesor Ibrahim Abu Shah said the programme, done in
cooperation with Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn Bhd and Technology Education Leader Sdn
Bhd (TEL), made UiTM the third institution of higher learning in Asia to offer
the course after China and India.

"The pioneer group of 100 students will undergo this programme for free with
teaching staff and programme materials provided by HP.

"It costs students RM14,200 (US$4,151) to take this course outside and
obtain the HP Software Testing Certificate. If this trial run in UiTM is
successful, we will continue offering the course twice a year during semester
breaks," he told a news conference after signing a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with HP and TEL on the matter, here Monday.

At the same function, Ibrahim also represented UiTM in signing an MoU with a
logging and timber company, Woodsfield Timber Industries Sdn Bhd (WTI).

The signing of both MoUs were witnessed by Higher Education Minister
Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who was on a working visit to UiTM.

Regarding UiTm's joint venture with WTI, Ibrahim said the company had
invested about RM20 million (US$5.8 million) with UiTM to commercially develop
glulam (glulaminated) timber products.
-- BERNAMA