JOHOR BAHRU, April 22 — Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) have entered into a strategic collaboration to strengthen human capital and drive research in electric vehicle (xEV) technology, in addressing the challenges of the country’s green mobility agenda.

The collaboration was formalised through the exchange of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) document yesterday, signed by UTM vice-chancellor Professor Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim and Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

UTM, in a statement, said the partnership will see the implementation of the xEV Perodua-UTM Engineering Programme, serving as a catalyst for a new phase in the development of the national automotive industry.

“Between 10 and 15 outstanding students from the Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Honours) programme will be selected each year to participate in the programme over a five-year period.

“Selected students will undergo the programme for one and a half years starting from the second semester of their third year of study, and will also complete a 10-week industrial training at Perodua, with the opportunity to obtain the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) Level 3 international certification,” it said.

In addition, their final year projects (FYP) will be jointly supervised by Perodua engineers to ensure that the research outcomes meet industry standards.

“Through this collaboration, UTM is strengthening its strategic ties with industry to ensure that the development of country’s talent and innovation remains aligned with current needs, while contributing to the sustainability agenda and the advancement of the country’s automotive sector,” UTM said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shafry, in the same statement, described the collaboration as a paradigm shift in bridging the gap between academia and industry needs.

He said the establishment of the xEV Perodua-UTM Engineering Laboratory, equipped with advanced facilities, will further enhance the competitiveness of the university’s graduates.

“The integration of elective courses in battery electric vehicle (BEV) engineering into the curriculum, along with access to the latest simulation technologies such as Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) systems, will ensure that our graduates remain relevant and future-ready,” he said.

Zainal Abidin said the initiative is a proactive step by the company in building a sustainable and globally competitive xEV ecosystem.

According to him, the collaboration goes beyond mere technology transfer, representing a long-term investment in developing highly skilled engineers for the future.

“…with direct guidance from our engineers, students will be exposed to the real-world dynamics of the modern automotive industry,” he said.

Perodua has also contributed technical equipment and two units of the Perodua QV-E for practical learning purposes at the xEV Perodua-UTM Engineering Laboratory, in support of the programme. — Bernama