Malaysian universities in nuclear deal with global corp

Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy signed an agreement with two Malaysian universities to study international human resources development for the nuclear energy sector.

Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. (Hitachi-GE), a joint venture between General Electric and Hitachi founded in 2007, has renewed an agreement with two Malaysian research universities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), one of 5 public research universities, and Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), a private university operated by Tenaga National Berhad, a leading power producer.

The agreement is aimed at conducting a new international human resources development programme to train high-quality personnel for the nuclear power industry. Hitachi-GE funded courses in the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) to provide training and research, which has been conducted for the past 5 years. Students of nuclear energy, researchers and other specialists in the nuclear power industry in Malaysia are the target of this programme and are expected to cover a range of topics that include safety measures, and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

In 2011, Hitachi-GE collaborated with Tokyo Tech's Graduate School of Engineering  to develop the course which would allow Southeast Asia and other regions to produce graduates majoring in nuclear engineering. More than 2,000 students have attended the course so far.

Malaysia aims to be a developed country by 2020. As a result, the country is considering the introduction of nuclear power to diversify the sources of electric power and lay the foundation of a plan for the peaceful use of nuclear energy which has seen much progress in the past few years. The plan includes the introduction and establishment of the Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation (MNPC) in 2011.

Under the renewed agreement and commitment in human resources development, another programme will be launched on September 20^th. The first in a series of seminars that will be held at UNITEN to address issues related to nuclear power. The seminar will be conducted by a specialist engineer from Hitachi-GE and an associated professor from Tokyo Tech to speak to approximately 80 students of nuclear energy, researchers and other specialists in the field.

On a separate but related note, Hitachi-GE will present its involvement in human resources development for the nuclear power industry in Malaysia at the International Nuclear Science, Technology and Engineering conference (NuSTEC) 2016 that is expected to be held at UiTM, Shah Alam from August 8^th – 10^th.

This involvement isn’t new to Hitachi-GE; the company has always offered support to students of nuclear energy to become recognised internationally, hold extramural courses, training for interns in the field, and research exchange. The company is looking forward to continue working with Tokyo Tech to provide assistance and contribute to the knowledge of the nuclear power industry.

About Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.

Hitachi-GE, a joint venture established by Hitachi, Ltd. and General Electric Company in July 2007, as one of the world's leading comprehensive plant manufacturers, engages in the development, planning, design, manufacture, inspection, installation, pre-operation, and maintenance of nuclear reactor-related equipment and is able to execute integrated project management. Hitachi-GE has been involved with 23 reactors in Japan to date, including those currently under construction.