ALAF-UKM to offer edu-tourism, research facilities to community

KUANTAN, March 14 (Bernama) -- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Centre for Natural and Physical Laboratory Management (ALAF-UKM), is set to become an education-tourism hub that offers various services to the community as a research and education centre.

ALAF-UKM is a restructure of the management that manages four labs, namely Tasik Chini Research Centre (PPTC), Frasers Hill Research Centre (PPBF), Langkawi Research Centre (PPL) and Marine Ecosystem Research Centre (EKOMAR) plus two other physical labs - Centre for Research and Instrumentation Management (i-CRIM) and Makmal Bioserasi in Bangi, Selangor.  

The objective is to streamline and strengthen research activities and services offered through a strategic and organised manner. All centres involved before this will be placed under the responsibility of another section of UKM.

UKM vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ekhwan Toriman said the setting up of ALAM-UKM was in line with the University’s aspiration of focusing on comprehensive research as well as to offer the facilities for the benefit of the community and the country.

"With four main locations throughout Malaysia - North, South, East and Central - there is every possibility of the centre becoming a hub for human capital development.

"This is not just about research of flora and fauna, but also include aspects of edu-tourism, various modules for income generation and upgrading the labs to international status, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which promotes peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture,” he said in a statement in conjunction with the official opening of the ALAF-UKM centre in Pekan, here today.

Apart from providing support for research facilities, the centre also offers edu-tourism packages like 'forest xxperience', indigenous explore', 'Tasik Chini boat tour', 'night walking' and programmes to strengthen team bonding and science exploration.

Mohd Ekhwan therefore, hoped ALAF-UKM can become an examplary institution to other higher learning institutions by offering services related to research that can benefit the people, industries and the country.

The setting up of ALAF-UKM is also a strategic step to achieve UKM’s two main target, that is to elevate the marketability of graduates and generate income.

For example, a high demand for i-CRIM and Bioserasi services, both domestically and internationally has a vast potential to increase the income of UKM and at the same time promote the university.

-- BERNAMA