Big tasks, Big responsibilities....

Assalamualaikum.....

I'm now already in my 2nd year of PhD study....at this stage, I'm preparing myself for the interim assessment (similar to Defence Proposal/ Transfer Report) that scheduled to be within April-July this year. How soon I can submit the report (and then the presentation) will depends on how confident I am to present my research....I need to have a good understanding on the literature review that clearly shows the research gap, a clear aim and objectives, a strong conceptual framework, a good justification on the significance of the research, a suitable research methodology, etc. I'm going to have more frequent progress meetings with my supervisor starting tommorrow.

Six PhD students (including me) from the Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, UiTM are doing our research under the collaboration between UiTM-Salford-CIDB. For me, this is really a big task, and big responsibilities since we are not just aiming to get the PhD for ourselves,..but we need to make significant contributions to these three large organisations and to the Malaysian construction industry. This collaboration is now being promoted throughout both countries...Malaysia and the UK. Just to share the news on this collaboration in the UiTM website dated 12th February 2009.

UiTM and Salford Researchers Collaborate with CIDB to Transform Construction in Malaysia

Six UiTM academics together with collaborators from University of Salford’s Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment (BuHu) and the Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) have undertaken a joint research project to transform the Malaysian construction industry. This project is part of the key initiative of the Malaysian Construction Industry Master Plan (CIMP) managed by CIDB to improve the industry’s performance and productivity.

As the official research partner, Salford’s BuHu, will host these five UiTM Ph. D researchers. They will work within Salford’s BuHu research institute – which is one of the world’s leading research institutions in the area of Built Environment. Under the MoU signed jointly by CIDB-BUHU-UiTM, the researchers from UiTM’s Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying will conduct research to provide solutions and models for improving the implementation of Industrialized Building Systems (IBS), Facilities Management and Knowledge Management within the industry.

CIDB’s Construction Research Institute of Malaysia’s Executive Director Ir. Dr Zuhairi said: “BuHu was selected to assist the CIDB with this project because of its reputation as one of the best research and development organisations in Europe. We are looking forward to seeing significant results of this partnership.”The research findings of the UiTM researchers will be used by CIDB to identify policies and activities that can be applied for improving the construction design and delivery process. According to Associate Professor Dr Padzil Hassan, UiTM’s project manager, the research findings will be showcased in the annual Construction Industry Research Achievements International Conference (CIRAIC) to promote dialogue between the industry’s players and stakeholders. He adds that the research will be invaluable in helping to provide better approaches to improve the construction sector, especially considering the huge potential it has to reduce reliance on low skilled foreign labour, reduce costs, speed up the construction process and to provide better quality services and buildings to the end users.

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