Around Copenhagen..

On the 18th of April 2009, me and my wife and the other Malaysian DTU colleagues went to Copenhagen for a picnic at Langelinie Park. This is in conjunction with the Sakura Festival which was organised by the Japan Embassy here in Denmark and the Municipality of Copenhagen. There are a lot of Sakura trees planted here in Langelinie Park and it was donated by the Japenese. In Japan people love and admire Sakura blossom and almost everybody go out to enjoy its beauty together with families, friends, office-mates and so forth wherever and whenever Sakura bloom. In this festival, the Japanese were invited to perform cultural acts and the local people are invited to participate. There are also stall which sells Japanese food and souvenir. Hopefully, some day there will be a Malaysia Festival here.

It was a great day with good weather and beautiful Sakura trees. There for the first time me and my wife met Abdillah, Azlin and their two sons Azizi and Kebi. They both are studying PhD in Roskilde University. We also met Akma with her husband and son. She is studying PhD in Copenhagen University. It’s good to meet many Malaysians here in Denmark. We had Nasi Lemak and Roti Jala, delicious!! Thanks guys, I only brought potato chips and ice tea hehe. There’s a lot of Danes and other foreigners having picnic around this festival, they are very enjoying the event.


Me and my wife then went for a stroll around the park in trying to search for the famous Little Mermaid statue. The statue is very famous here in Denmark and can be considered as one of the main tourist attraction. But don’t be dissapointed if you are coming here to see the statue because it is just a small statue. That’s why they call it LITTLE Mermaid. Daa!. Next year, they will move the statue to China for an exhibition. Lucky me, I have been there to see it and capture some nice pictures of ‘us’ hehe.

After the picnic, on our way back to the train station we met 2 Malaysians. They were very estatic to see us. “Malaysia Boleh” they said. These 2 guys are on tour in Europe to promote Sepak Takraw to the Europeans. Next stop is Berlin and Amsterdam. I’m proud of them. One of them said that he have played Sepak Takraw for the national team some time ago. They feel very happy to meet us here in Copenhagen. Well, you will appreciate Malaysian more when you meet them in foreign countries (especially with less Malaysian) as if you know them for a long time. I remember one Malaysian who greets me by waving his hand to me with smile in Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam even though I do not know him. One thing, you will feel like home when you meet and talk to them here. Any Malaysians coming to Denmark?. Please contact us haha.

Kenangan Cuti Easter..

Pada cuti Easter yang lepas (9-13 April 2009), saya dan Wawa (isteriku) bersama beberapa kawan yang lain iaitu Kamaruddin (Din), Kak Zana, Afiq, Ciput dan juga Dayang telah bercuti ke Amsterdam, Belanda. Dulu dah sampai Amsterdam, tapi dapat berlegar di sekitar lapangan terbang je. Kami mengambil keputusan untuk ke sana dengan menyewa kenderaan memandangkan kosnya yang lebih murah jika dibandingkan dengan menaiki kapal terbang. Jadi dengan kenderaan Volkswagen Transporter yang disewa daripada Hertz tu, kami bertolak daripada Lyngby pada pukul 7 pagi, hari Khamis (9 April 2009). Untuk memandu kenderaan di negara orang ni kena ada lesen memandu antarabangsa yang ditempah di Malaysia dengan kos RM 150 setahun. Cadangan asal ialah untuk bertukar-tukar pemandu antara saya, Dayang dan juga Din nmemandangkan hanya kami bertiga yang mempunyai lesen memandun antarabangsa. Tapi memandangkan saiz van yang agak besar, mungkin saya dan Din je yang akan memandu. Tiba-tiba dalam perjalanan, “eh, aku macam tertinggal je lesen memandu tu, aduhhh !!!”. Rupa-rupanya saya terlupa bawa. Nampaknya Din jela yang kena jadi driver.

laparnya.. (somewhere in Germany)

Dalam perjalanan, kami melalui jambatan yang menghubungkan antara Zealand (bahagian pulau) dan Jutland di Denmark. Ada jalan yang lagi dekat ke Jerman dengan menaiki feri, namun disebabkan harganya yang mahal kami mengambil keputusan untuk melalui jambatan sahaja. Daripada Denmark kami meneruskan perjalanan ke Jerman melalui Hamburg dan Bremen. Kami singgah untuk makan tengahari di Jerman (tak pasti di kawasan mana). Sepanjang perjalanan di Jerman, saya asyik tidur jela sebab tak boleh nak memandu (bukan sengaja, terlupa huhu). Teringin juga nak memandu di negara orang, tambahan pula kedudukannya di sebelah kanan jalan berbeza dengan sistem jalan di Malaysia. Yela dah bayar RM 150 setahun, takkan nak biarkan je. Daripada Jerman, kami tiba di Belanda dan akhirnya tiba di Amsterdam pada lebih kurang jam 7 petang. 12 jam baru sampai ke destinasi !!. Kira macam daripada Johor ke Perlis la kan. Di Amsterdam, kami menetap di Hotel Zwanenberg.

Pada hari kedua, kami telah ke Keukenhof iaitu sebuah taman bunga Tulip yang sangat cantik dan dipenuhi dengan pelabagai jenis bunga tulip. Kalau di Malaysia tu ada sawah padi, di Keukenhof ada sawah tulip !!. Kami round-round di sana dari pagi sehinggalah ke petang. Puaslah kami bergambar dalam taman tu, tambah pula dengan kamera baru (Nikon D60, dibeli seminggu sebelum bertolak ke Denmark hehe). Selain tulip, terdapat juga kincir angin ataupun windmill. Dapat jugalah merasa naik kincir angin tu. Memang saya alu-alukanlah jika sesiapa nak datang ke Keukenhof ni. Tapi ingat, datang masa musim bunga, jangan datang masa musim sejuk lak haha. Setelah puas berjalan, kami mulalah berasa lapar. Daripada Keukenhof, kami telah menjamu selera di sebuah kedai makanan Indonesia bernama Toko Java. Peramah juga pekerja kedai tu, maklumlah jumpa orang serumpun. Setelah makan Nasi Rames, kami pulang ke hotel dan berehat. Seterusnya pada waktu malam, kami telah bersiar-siar di sekitar bandar Amsterdam untuk melihat suasananya di waktu malam. Namun, di pertengahan jalan, hujan turun dengan lebatnya. Payung pula lupa nak bawa (bukan lupa, tapi tak jangka nak hujan). Tambahan pula ada di antara kami yang sesat untuk pulang ke tempat van diletakkan, dahlah malam dan hujan pula tu. Tapi Alhamdulillah, jumpa juga akhirnya. Dalam keadaan kepenatan, kami terus pulang ke hotel dan tidur.

Hari ketiga, kami berkunjung pula ke sebuah kilang kecil untuk membuat kasut kayu (popular di Belanda) dan juga kilang keju (yang busuk baunya). Terkejut dan kagum juga sebab orang yang menerangkan mengenai pembuatan kasut kayu tu pandai berbahasa Melayu. Dia tengok muka kami terus je cakap “selamat datang”, tau-tau je kami ni orang Melayu. Setelah itu, kami berkunjung ke Volendam sebuah tempat di utara Belanda yang terkenal sebagai sebuah kawasan perlancongan. Di sana terdapat pelbagai kedai cenderamata yang boleh dibeli harga yang berpatutan. Kami juga tidak melepaskan peluang menaiki cruise kecil ke pulau Marken yang terletak ½ jam daripada Volendam.

skuad volkswagen transporter

Pada hari terakhir kami di Amsterdam, kami sekali lagi bersiar-siar di sekitar bandar Amsterdam dan juga menaiki canal tour melalui sungai-sungai di sekitar bandar. Setelah itu, kami terus pulang menuju kembali ke Denmark. Dalam perjalanan pulang, kami telah singgah ke bandar Bremen dan juga Hamburg untuk mengambil gambar-gambar kenangan. Kami di tiba di Lyngby pada jam 7 pagi, Isnin 13 April 2009. Alhamdulillah semuanya selamat. Memang ini satu pengalaman yang tidak dapat dilupakan dan jika anda ada kesempatan dan duit, bolehlah datang ke sini. PhD, PhD juga, bila masa berseronok gunakan sebaik-baiknya.

Apartment kami

Seperti yang telah saya catatkan sebelum ini, kami telah berpindah ke apartment sewa kami selepas seminggu sampai di bumi Denmark. Dengan bayaran sewa sebanyak DKK7500 sebulan (kadar biasa di sini) dan melihatkan keadaan apartment kami ni boleh dikatakan berbaloi jugalah sebab tuan rumah ni baru sahaja ubahsuai apartment ni. Jadi setiap ruangan tu nampak menarik dan eksklusif (boleh tengok gambar). Tambahan pula banyak kemudahan yang ada seperti katil, peti ais, microwave, penyedut hampagas, dapur elektrik, televisyen, pemain DVD dan lain-lain.

Ruang tamu

Ruang makan

Apartment kami terletak di tingkat 4 (atas sekali, di bumbung) di sebuah bangunan yang boleh dikatakan seperti rumah kedai la di Malaysia. Tingkap bawah sekali ialah Nordea Bank (salah satu bank di sini). Yang seronok tinggal di kawasan ni ialah semua tempat seperti bank, pusat membeli belah, pejabat pos, kedai hardware, stesen bas, kedai kebab sangatlah dekat. Jadi jika ada apa-apa urusan atau nak beli apa-apa barang tu memang mudah.

Dapur

Tapi yang sedihnya kontrak untuk tinggal di apartment ni hanya sehingga bulan 12 ni sahaja. Tuan rumah ni buat masa ni sedang berkerja di Greenland dan katanya kalau dia selesa dan seronok duduk di sana dia akan lanjutkan lagi kontrak tu. Harapnya begitulah, kalau tidak kena cari apartment lain la.

Dah lama tak kemaskini blog..

Hmm nampaknya dah lama tak kemaskini blog ni. Kepada yang setia membaca blog saya atau yang baru mula nak baca tu saya mohon seribu kemaafan sebab sekarang ni agak susah nak online di apartment disebabkan ketiadaan talian internet yang tetap. Di DTU boleh la kalau nak online tapi takkan pergi sana nak kemaskini blog pula kan. Jadi buat masa sekarang ni di apartment, saya hanya pakai wireless internet yang diceduk daripada senarai wireless yang ada disekitar apartment ni (yang tak perlu katakunci). Kadang-kadang line dia bagus, kadang-kadang tak bagus jadi nak muat naik gambar atau video tu agak lambat la. Tapi saya dah daftar untuk line internet dan insyaAllah lepas ni boleh la online dengan selesa. Selain masalah ni, malas pun ada juga hehe. Di samping tu, nak touch up blog ni dulu (cari template dan widgets yang menarik dll).

Walau bagaimanapun, saya akan terus mencatatkan aktiviti-aktiviti saya di sini sepanjang tempoh dah hampir sebulan saya di sini. Jadi minta maaflah jika ada post yang boleh dikatakan dah basi hahaha. Teruskan membaca. Terima kasih.

Global Academic Network

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and its partners recently explored ways to improve their research and academic partnerships, writes SUZIEANA UDA NAGU

Zaini Ujang envisions that each partner university will fit in one of UTM's 11 research themes

11 April 2009 - INTERNATIONAL collaboration may be the buzzword in tertiary institutions globally but discussions on how universities with similar interests can work together are rare. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) vice chancellor Datuk Professor Zaini Ujang, for one, has attended numerous meetings centred on “improving university ranking or sharing best practices on university governance”. But “very seldom do university heads get to sit down and talk about how their institutions can work together,” says Zaini, a professor of Environmental Bioengineering.

Zaini recently invited some of the institution’s long-standing partners to attend a two-day University Presidents Forum For Global Academic Network at the Skudai campus to do just that. The discussion was timed to coincide with UTM’s recent convocation week. Among other things, Zaini introduced his guests from some 20 universities in 11 countries to UTM — ­its vision, mission and future direction — as he considers it vital that the university communicates its brand to partner institutions effectively. “We may have worked with each other for a long time but (they) may not be very clear about our vision. Hopefully, by experiencing the campus and getting to know its strengths first-hand, they will be more confident of our capabilities and accept us into their network,” says Zaini. Further, Zaini also sat down with university representatives — ranging from presidents, vice chancellors and rectors to heads of departments — to consider ways of improving cooperation with the participating institutions.

Internationalisation efforts in UTM began as early as 1975. The university may not have a proper mechanism for promoting global networking then but the institution solicited advice from prominent foreign academicians on matters such as curriculum development and recognition of academic programmes. Zaini concedes that the practice of establishing a relationship with a foreign university at UTM is often done on an ad hoc basis. This needs to change. The planning of international collaborative efforts has largely been the responsibility of individual professors who do so when they attend conferences abroad. They may visit a university in the country where the conference is held to discuss potential partnerships with their counterparts. Denmark Technical University’s Institute of Environment & Resources Professor Mogens Henze, for instance, has teamed up with Zaini in water management research since the last decade. Henze and Zaini have so far co-written two books together — the Municipal Wastewater Management for Developing Countries and Environmental Biotechnology: Advancement in Water and Wastewater Applications in the Tropics. The presence of “our partners on campus has finally enabled us to design a proper framework to govern the cooperation”, says Zaini, adding that the mechanism will be improved as they “go along”.

Zaini envisions that each partner university will fit in with one of UTM’s 11 research “themes” — sustainability; energy; water; biotechnology; nanotechnology; information communications; cybernetics; k-economy; transportation; materials and manufacturing; and frontier sciences. With the new framework in place, the Malaysian university will be well placed to plan future joint efforts with each foreign institution. For example, UTM will give priority to its partner universities when sending staff abroad for postgraduate studies. “We also need co-supervisors from other universities for our PhD candidates because we don’t have enough (supervisors) from UTM. We can invite professors from our partner universities to fill the gap.” In addition, some research grants require international group effort and this underlines the necessity of forming partnerships with universities abroad. Indeed, closer ties with foreign universities will raise UTM’s international profile in line with the government’s aspiration to make Malaysia an international hub of higher education. “In order to be published in refereed journals, you need to collaborate with international peers. With publication comes citation (one of the determinants of how well a university fares in international rankings),” says Zaini.

The outcome of the forum is positive. UTM and its partners can expect enhanced academic and research collaborations. UTM signed two memoranda of understanding with DTU and Universitas Indonesia and have began early talks about future staff and student exchanges with the rest. “The agreement with DTU, for example, stipulates that it will work only with UTM in this region.” With UTM located near EduCity in Nusajaya, Johor’s next administrative centre, it is likely that more universities will choose to work exclusively with it. Zaini extended an invitation to its partner universities to participate in what he terms as the Iskandar Research and Academic Partnership which may fall under the Iskandar Malaysia-UTM Research Centre (IMREC) initiative. A partnership between UTM and Iskandar Regional Development Authority, IMREC will oversee research and creative activities in areas such as the environment, water management, energy development and nanotechnology being spearheaded in the southern economic region known as Nusajaya. One of the signature developments in Nusajaya is the EduCity, an integrated educational hub which will house offshore faculties or campus of world-class universities such as Newcastle University of Medicine (one of UTM’s existing partner universities) and University of Southampton Malaysia.

“We are happy that Newcastle University will be our closest neighbour after Singapore’s National University and Nanyang Technological University. Perhaps this will facilitate even closer ties between these universities in the future,” says Zaini.

Source: NST Online