By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has received the new Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO) branch campus in Bercham from the Public Works Department (JKR).
The handover ceremony was officiated by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Diraja Dr Zambry Abd Kadir today.
The RM27.1 million project, which commenced in 2018, was completed on Dec 28, 2024, by the main contractor under the supervision of JKR’s Educational Works Division, alongside JKR Perak and JKR Kinta as project administrators.
The state-of-the-art campus is designed to accommodate up to 1,200 students and will offer five diploma programmes: Diploma in Accountancy, Diploma in Business Studies, Diploma in Finance, Diploma in Islamic Finance, and Diploma in Retail Management.
Student enrolment will begin in phases starting this February, with full intake expected by August.
Advanced Facilities and Green Initiatives
Equipped with six Technology-enabled Collaborative Classrooms (TeCC) featuring Virtual Reality (VR) tools, the campus is set to revolutionise the learning experience.
The campus also boasts lecture spaces inspired by real-life bank simulations, campus-wide WiFi access, and eco-friendly initiatives under its Green Campus concept.
Sustainable features include energy-efficient lighting, a Rainwater Harvesting System, and various innovations aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Boosting TVET Empowerment
The establishment of this new campus aims to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as outlined in the National TVET Policy 2030.
It also aligns with the Polytechnic Transformation Plan 2023-2035 and the Community College Empowerment Plan, which focuses on sustainable TVET programmes, conducive learning environments, and cutting-edge equipment.
MOHE stated that the new campus would enhance lecturers’ competencies and provide structured platforms for research, development, innovation, and commercialisation to support sustainable economic growth.
This initiative is expected to position Malaysia’s TVET system as a responsive, flexible, and inclusive education framework, producing a highly skilled workforce by 2030.
