Ericsson, UTM and DNB partner to prepare Malaysian students for 5G era

Ericsson, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) recently announced their collaboration for an education initiative on 5G in Malaysia that will help educate Malaysian students on 5G and emerging technologies. This collaboration will enable UTM students to participate and contribute to the country’s digital economy and Industry 4.0 transformation.

As part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the three parties, Ericsson will open its Ericsson Educate platform to UTM students to provide access to learning material on key technologies. Select subjects covered at an introductory level include: 5G networks, artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, blockchain, cloud computing, data science, IoT and telecommunications.

The collaboration will provide both students and lecturers with access to quality digital learning resources that draw on Ericsson’s 145-year experience in telecommunications and ICT. Content from the Ericsson Educate portal will be provided at no cost and integrated to complement UTM’s online-based degrees and micro credentials programs. Ericsson will also train UTM faculty members to use the course materials as part of the subjects they teach.

The collaboration is expected to reach up to 1,200 students in the first year alone. In addition to content from the Ericsson Educate portal, Ericsson and DNB will also provide subject matter experts as guest lecturers on relevant topics pre-selected by UTM. DNB will also be working towards creating opportunities for course participants to potentially join DNB as interns upon completion of relevant courses.

UTM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Datuk Ts. Dr. Ahmad Fauzi Ismail stated that producing world-class talent by developing high-quality graduates is UTM's top strategic thrust and priority. "Our partnership with Ericsson and DNB is to integrate industry-driven content into our curriculum to help enhance our graduates' skills and knowledge to equip them to effectively perform in the IR4.0 working environment," he said. He added that UTM’s partnership with Ericsson is also part of the university’s obligation to support the Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint, promote lifelong learning, and enable Malaysians to meet the skills and competencies needed for a developed economy. "This will also maximize the potential and excellence of individuals in the workforce through reskilling and upskilling opportunities," he said.

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Digital Nasional Berhad, Zuraida Jamaluddin said, “5G will be a game changer in transforming Malaysia’s digital economy and is poised to improve the way we work and play, the way we innovate and the way we learn. With lower latencies, faster speeds and AR/VR capabilities, 5G will allow immersive learning environment and encourage innovation in many aspects of education.”

”More importantly, the accelerated 5G deployment and cheaper wholesale prices made possible through DNB’s supply-led approach will enable the participation of students from all walks of life regardless of where they are. This will help bridge the digital divide and provide equity in education particularly among the underserved communities. We are indeed excited about this collaboration with UTM and Ericsson where DNB through this initiative will provide subject matter experts and consultations, as well as offering internship opportunities to qualified course participants upon their graduation from UTM.”

Meanwhile, Head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, David Hägerbro stated, this initiative strengthens Ericsson's continued collaboration with UTM in research and development and will serve to accelerate Malaysia's IR 4.0 agenda. "It is a significant step by Ericsson together with DNB towards developing a 5G ready workforce in Malaysia that can leverage the potential of 5G to support the government's MyDigital vision.”

“Our investment in UTM seeks to accelerate Malaysia's digital transformation, which includes building a skilled 5G-ready workforce. By supplementing their ongoing studies with Ericsson Educate content as well as DNB’s industry insights, they will strengthen their ICT skills and enhance the availability of 5G ready talent in the country," states David Hägerbro.

Ericsson has been in Malaysia since 1965 and has been actively engaging and collaborating with the local institutions of higher education and academia in the country. One of its longest collaborations is with UTM.

In 2016, Ericsson invested for the future of Malaysia when it signed an MoU with UTM to establish the Innovation Centre for 5G or IC5G at UTM, Kuala Lumpur which is Malaysia's first innovation center to research and test 5G technology. In December 2021, UTM became one of the first universities in Malaysia to have 5G coverage under DNB's first 5G rollout in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. The entire area of UTM Kuala Lumpur campus is among the five hundred 5G-enabled and live sites in the country, making UTM Kuala Lumpur, the first public university campus in Malaysia with 5G commercial coverage.