Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) is a public university based primarily in Shah Alam, (main campus), 13 autonomous state campuses and 21 satellite campuses. The university is made up of 27 faculties, and categorized into three main clusters namely Business and Management, Social Sciences and Humanities and Science and Technology. The university was established in 1956 has become into the largest higher education institution in Malaysia by physical infrastructure, staff organization, and student enrolment (over 18,000 of academics and non-academics staff and 168,000 students).
UiTM offered 500 programmes ranging from foundation to postgraduate level, around 7 Community of Research (CoRe) including Green Technology & Sustainable Development (GTSD), Frontier Materials and Industrial Applications (FMIA), Advanced Computation & Communication (ACC), Health and Wellbeing (HW), Management Science (MS), and Humanities, Design and Creativity (HDC) where MAKING 4.0 will be located.
Faculty of Art & Design or fondly known as AD, was founded in 1967 and nowadays offers various programs ranging from Diploma to PhD, producing graduates who are viable to the diverse market sectors, as the furniture and wood sector.
The Faculty is organized around three programmes of specialization directly related with the furniture sector and the present proposal: Fine Arts, Graphic Design and Textile Design. Around these three cluster of knowledge, the Faculty of Art & Design offers a variety of academic programmes, ranging from Diploma to PhD, which produce graduates who are ready to integrate themselves into diverse market sectors. This Faculty is directly related with MAKING 4.0 thought the programs of Textile Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Printing Technology and other postgraduate research. Understanding the importance of skilled and creative human resources as assets to industries specifically and the nation in general, the Faculty plays a big role in nurturing competence, knowledge, integrity and excellence in each of its students.
The university holds a number of formal international links with institutions from around the world to share teaching and research and facilitate staff and student exchanges. More than 100 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been rectified with global partners.
Professor Dr. Shahriman Zainal Abidin is a Reader in Industrial Design at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Moreover, he is an Affiliate Member of The Chartered Society of Designers in United Kingdom (Membership no: 018173) (Nov. 2016-Oct. 2022). His research interest is in the area of Design Thinking and Formgiving. He has a PhD in Industrial Design Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) with the thesis titled “Practice-based design thinking for form development and detailing”, MA in Automotive Design from the Coventry University, and BDes (Industrial) from UiTM. In 2013, he was seconded at PROTON as a subject-matter expert on the task where he developed core methodologies with regard to Styling DNA for both Exterior & Interior across A, B, C, D and K segments. Deliverable: Publish a manual with clearly defined guidelines to be used as a unified point of reference. In 2014, he received 1st prize for the National Intellectual Property Award (Industrial Design category) from the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) & MyIPO Award for UiTM. He was appointed as Editorial Panel for PROTON Journal of Engineering 2014/2015 in Malaysia, Editorial Panel for PROTON Journal of Engineering 2016/2017 in Malaysia, Editor-In-Chief for i-CADER 2015 in Malaysia, Editor for ISRADH 2014 in Malaysia, Editor for i-CADER 2014 in Malaysia, Scientific Reviewer for the E&PDE 2016 conference in Denmark, Scientific Reviewer for the ICED 2015 in Italy, Scientific Reviewer for the E&PDE 2015 conference in United Kingdom, Scientific Reviewer for the DESIRE 2011 workshop in Netherlands, Scientific Reviewer for the ACM Conference for Creativity & Cognition 2011 in United States of America, and Scientific Reviewer for the NordDesign 2006 conference in Iceland. He received the National grant for research of Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS), Prototype Research Grant Scheme (PRGS), Translational Research Grant, and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) from the Ministry of Higher Education (Malaysia) with a cumulative value of RM1.2 million. He has also published more than 50 research papers in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, India, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Estonia, Croatia, Italy, Spain, Ireland, United Kingdom, and United States of America and currently the project leader for UiTM on Improving Malaysian HE knowledge towards a Wood and Furniture Industry4.0 – Making4.0 granted by Erasmus+ between 4 HI in EU and 4 Malaysian Uni + MTIB.
Professor Dr. Azmi Ibrahim received early education in Penang before continued to do Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering at UiTM (formerly known as ITM). Became a lecturer of ITM at 1986, after completion of Advanced Diploma. Went on to do M.Phil at University of Sussex in 1990, directly converted to D.Phil in 1991. Obtained Doctorate in Civil Engineering from University of Sussex, United Kingdom in February 1995. Has been continuously serving UiTM until now and was given responsibility to hold various academic administration posts. Has been involved with research and consultancy activities collaboratively, as principal investigator and member, for national and international grants amounting to RM10 million, producing more than 80 indexed publications. He has carried out research activities mainly through supervision of degree, masters and PhD students as well as consultancy works. He has started supervising postgraduate students immediately after he obtained his PhD and has first graduated an MSc student in 2003. Since then, he has been supervising and graduating postgraduate by research students at the MSc and PhD levels. Currently, he has a number of postgraduate students still doing their research works under his supervision. When the Faculty started offering taught MSc programs, opportunities to supervise dissertation students were created. He has the experience of supervising a few. His areas of interest in the main discipline of civil and structural engineering are wide, developed over many years in collaboration with many groups and agencies. The outcomes and findings of his research have been published in various indexed and non-indexed journals, presented in conferences and seminars, as well as showcased in a few innovation exhibitions at different levels. Through his networks of academics, research scientists, practicing engineers, industry players and authorities, he has developed the capacities to design and execute industrial testing programs leading to product acceptance and certification, brainstorm real-world problems and seek practical solutions, participate in standards writing activities commissioned by different national standards writing bodies under the Department of Standards Malaysia, engage in university-industry joint research and examine research degree theses from other universities.
Dr. Aruan Efendy Mohd Ghazali has been working in the area for the past five years. His PhD from University of Waikato, New Zealand titled Bio-composites materials from engineered natural fibres for structural applications.
Dr. Haszlin Hj. Shaharudin is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Industrial Design, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. An Industrial Designer by qualification (Bachelor of Industrial Design) in 1998, MA in Furniture Design and Technology at Bucks New University, United Kingdom (formerly known as Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College). Later, she obtained PhD in Environmental Design from University of Canberra, Australia in 2014, with the thesis title: “A Cross-Cultural Study of Studio-Based Design Education with Particular Reference to Specific Australian and Malaysian Contexts”. Throughout her careers she has been teaching and researching on furniture design and manufacturing technology, research, and design research consultancy activities and, she has shared her knowledge in designing by empowering the young and creative minds by conducting design related lectures and various creativity workshops. Numerous universities, government departments, have invited her as a guest lecturer and trainer for design and creative courses. Besides research activities, she is also actively involved in design exhibitions. Her deep interest in design has led her to generate ideas of conceptual furniture design. Her idea then fabricated and displayed at the design exhibition. She enjoys transforming research findings into tangible product designs.
R.I.P Dr. Mohammad Azroll Ahmad was a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Industrial Design, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. An Industrial Designer by qualification (Bachelor of Industrial Design) in 1997, MA in Furniture Design and Technology at Bucks New University, United Kingdom (formerly known as Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College). Later, he obtained PhD in Environmental Design from University of Canberra, Australia in 2014, with the thesis title: “A Cross-Cultural Study of Community Responses to Creative Objects with Particular Reference to The Design of Public Seating in Selected University Environments”. Throughout his career, he has been teaching and researching on furniture design and manufacturing technology, research and design research consultancy activities and, he has shared his knowledge in designing by empowering the young and creative minds by conducting design related lectures and various creativity workshops. Numerous universities, government departments, have invited him as a guest lecturer and trainer for design and creative courses. Besides research activities, he was also actively involved in design exhibitions. His deep interest in design has led him to generate ideas of conceptual furniture design. His idea then fabricated and displayed at the design exhibition. He enjoyed transforming research findings into tangible product designs.
Dr. Shahril Anuar Bahari is a Senior Lecturer at the Bio-Composites Technology Program, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Malaysia. He studied furniture materials and bio-based composites during his B.Sc. (Furniture Technology) and M.Sc. (Applied Sciences) levels at UiTM. He completed his doctoral degree in the wood composites area with thesis title “Development of Bamboo-PVC Composites” at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany, under the scholarship of Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst DAAD (German Academic Exchange Services). He has also worked as Research Associate in Göttingen, Germany, with the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) Research Group: ‘Resource Efficiency in Corporate Networks-Planning Methods to Utilize Renewable Resources’. In 2013, he has been attached as Research Internship Fellow Member at the Manufacturing and Bioproduct Development, Scion, Rotorua, New Zealand, conducting research works in the area of thermal analysis and dynamic response of bio-materials. He has thirteen years teaching and research experiences in the field of green composites technology.
Mohd Shaleh Mujir is a Senior Lecturer for Industrial Design programme at the College of Creative Arts, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. His research interest is in the area of Strategic Design and Product Development for Commercialization. He was a Member and a Principal Investigator for various Furniture Research project especially such as Advanced Digital Design Prototyping for Manufacturing of Exclusive Wood Carving Furniture Products IR 4.0 (PRGS, MOHE 2015/17), An Innovative Method to Preserve the Aesthetic Value in the Malay Woodcarving on Furniture (FRGS, MOHE 2010/12), Furniture Contract Design & Development Innovation Studies among Bumiputera SME’s (DANA, 2008), and Material Innovation Design Study of Small Wood Furniture Manufacturer (DANA, 2001). He was a Lead Designer in the Furniture Value Engineering Project in the year 2003 and 2004 collaborating with SIRIM, MTIB, FRIM and Ministry of Education and Design Consultants for Sime Engineering-Malaysia China Hydro Joint Venture leading Design, Development and Construction of Bakun EcoCentre at Bakun Dam, Sarawak (2008/09). He won the Malaysian Furniture Design Competition for his Conference Table System design in 1997 organized by Malaysian Timber Industrial Board (MTIB). His Intellectual Property Registration include a few Industrial Design Right, Patents and Trade Marks. Moreover, he has published an indexed papers and produced a lot of products and furniture design for industries. He was a Chief Judge of Malaysian International Furniture Fair Exhibition (MIFF) for International Furniture Excellence Awards 2005 and Judges for many MIFF events. He has been teaching industrial design since 1996 at the UiTM, emphasize on good design teaching into practice with real issues, industrial engagement, collaborative research works, publication and creating a lot of opportunities for future generation throughout his carrier.
