PRESS CONFERENCE STATEMENT BY PENANG CHIEF MINISTER LIM GUAN ENG, ON 26.9.2013 AT KOMTAR, GEORGE TOWN.
Kolej Damansara Utama(KDU) University Will Be Established On A 10-Acre Site In Batu Kawan Offering Degree Courses In Engineering, Accounting. Information Technology And Hospitality.
The Penang State Government and PDC’s efforts to promote quality education received another boost with the sale of 30 acres of land for the purpose of setting up a KDU University College and a future KDU University in Batu Kawan. The sale of land is to Paramount Corporation Berhad (Paramount), parent company of Paramount Property and the KDU Education Group.
This is the second university project in Batu Kawan following the announcement two days ago of the University of Hull from United Kingdom. Hull University will be offering by the latest 2017 courses in law, accounting, logistics, engineering and business studies.
This university college project was planned to support PDC’s policy to promote and sell land to attract catalyst projects especially education and services in Batu Kawan to complement the rapid industrial and housing development sectors there. KDU’s proposed university expected to be set up in 5 years is located on the mainland close to the 2nd Penang Bridge, comprises 10 acres of institutional land set aside for the development of a new university college and future university, and 20 acres of land for mixed development.
Paramount is required to obtain all approvals from relevant authorities and complete this development at its own cost. KDU College Penang is currently working towards a University College accreditation, in line with the vision of Malaysia’s Ministry of Education to make the state/country a center of higher education excellence.
The land deal is timely because the new KDU campus in Batu Kawan, would feature facilities that are more in line with the requirements of a university college and future university that will offer degree courses in:
– engineering,
– accounting
– business,
– pre-university studies,
– hospitality,
– culinary and tourism,
– information systems,
– mass communications,
– design and
– English
The education programmes will have a strong focus on skills development, sustainability issues and a spirit of entrepreneurship as a core component of their curriculum. Penang possesses huge potential to grow as an education hub because of its liveability and good security and the fast growth of the middle class. Penang now offers a full range of educational institutions for domestic and foreign students with international schools, specialised and comprehensive tertiary institutions and professional institutions to provide training and upgrading of skill eg PSDC.
The presence of KDU campus in Batu Kawan, plus other catalyst services inclusive of the distinguished Hull University, augur well for education and knowledge-based projects planned by the State and PDC. This is in line with the emphasis of the Penang Paradigm (Penang’s development framework for creating an international and intelligent State) on cultivating human capital by training, retraining and attracting talent as well as collaborating with universities to structure high quality curriculum with knowledge-led growth.
The KDU Education Group includes the reputable Sri KDU Smart Schools, KDU College in Penang and KDU University College, a pioneer in Pre-U and twinning programmes with campuses in Damansara Jaya and Petaling Jaya. The KDU Group celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and has produced 80,000 students since its inception, some of whom include corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and celebrities around the globe.
Lim Guan Eng
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槟州首席部长林冠英于2013年9月26日在光大乔治市发表声明：
马来西亚伯乐大学学院（KDU）将在峇都加湾10英亩地段设立学校，提供工程、会计、资讯工艺及酒店管理课程
槟州政府和槟州发展机构在推广素质教育方面获得回响，我们售出了30英亩的地段，设立伯乐大学学院以及未来的伯乐大学。这种土地出售给百乐园有限公司，也是百乐房地产及伯乐学院教育集团的母公司。
这是继两天前英国赫尔大学宣布前来设立分校之后的第二项大学项目。赫尔大学将会在2017年开始提供法律、会计、物流、工程及商业课程。
这项大学学院的项目是为了支持槟州发展机构推售土地给具催化作用的项目，特别是峇都加湾的教育及服务以辅助当地的工业及房屋发展。伯乐大学学院预计将在5年内建好，其地点靠近槟城第二大桥，包括占地10英亩的大学学院及未来一所大学，还有20英亩的综合发展。
百乐园受促取得所有部门的批准，自资完成这项计划。槟城伯乐园学院目前正在申请成为大学学院，响应马来西亚教育部让槟州及我国成为卓越高等教育中心的愿景。
这项土地交易正是时候，因为峇都加湾的伯乐学院新校园将会着重打造于一所大学学院及未来一所大学的标准设施，其科系及课程包括：
– 工程
– 会计
– 商业
– 大学先修班
– 酒店
– 餐饮及旅游
– 资讯系统
– 大众传媒
– 设计
– 英语
上述教育科系将着重技能发展、永续课题以及企业精神。槟州拥有拒大潜能成为教育中心，因为它的宜居性、良好保安及中产阶级的迅速增加。槟州现在为国内外的学生提供各种类别的教育机构，从国际学校、专科及综合学院、到技能提升的教育机构如槟州技能培训中心。
伯乐学院在峇都加湾设立分校，加上著名的英国赫尔大学也将前来，标志着槟州政府及槟州发展机构在教育及知识基础计划的成果。这也与槟州典范所强调的通过培训、再培训及吸引人才、与大学合作建构高素质的知识型增长，培育人力资本的侧重点一致。
伯乐教育集团包括著名的Sri KDU Smart Schools,槟城伯乐学院，伯乐大学学院，大学先修班及双联课程创办者，他们在白沙罗及八打灵再也设有分校。今年是伯乐集团成立30周年，自创办以来栽培了来自全球的8万名学子，许多校友已是企业界领袖及名人。
林冠英