Taiwan-Malaysia Construction Project Management and Digital Technology International Centre (DiTIC)

MISSION

Enhance international collaboration in scientific research and technological innovation.
Encourage exchange and cultivation of young researchers.
Promote technological development collaboration between researchers and industries.
Foster international academic development and international project collaborations.

ABOUT DiTIC

The DiTIC is formed to enhance the engagement between Taiwan and Malaysia. As part of the new collaboration, the Tamkang University (TKU) and University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM) is working together to build a network of construction project management and digital technology hub that committed to provide professional services in Southeast Asia.

The initiation of the DiTIC is to respond to the New Southbound Policy. The Centre is funded by the National Science Centre, supported by Presidential Office, Taiwan. The core research areas of DiTIC is focusing on BIM, AR/VR, Big Data Analytic and Smart City but not limited to the aforementioned interest. The Centre is committed to enhance the collaboration among Taiwan and Malaysia industry in talent, technological development and bilateral talent exchange.

DiTIC is established beyond the boundaries, aims to develop a Taiwan-Malaysia researchers platform for young researchers. The Centre is supported by three (3) divisions, namely research and development, academic and public relation division. Each division will be working closely to achieve the missions. The Centre will be working meticulously with Malaysia and Taiwan authorities to be established as a digital technology hub in Southeast Asia.

GOVERNANCE

ORGANIZATION CHART

UORM DICTIC EXPERTISE

	Dr Chai Chang Saar Director DiTIC Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise Digital Twining in Construction Building Information Management Construction Project Management
	Dr Sivaraman Kuppusamy Research Fellow DiTIC Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise Biomimicry Design Green Building Construction Project Management Environmental Literacy
	Dr Noor Azeyah Khiyon Research Fellow DiTIC Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise Whole Life Cycle Costing Sustainability Construction Heritage Building Information Modelling
	Ms Celine Lee Cen Ying Research Fellow DiTIC Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise Construction Contract Management Digitalisation and Sustainability in Built Environment Construction Cost Control and Planning
	Dr Mustafa Klufallah Associate Research Fellow DiTIC Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise Construction Project Management Green and Sustainable ConstructionOptimization in Construction Projects
	Dr Bruno Lot Tanko Associate Research Fellow DiTIC Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise Value Management Construction Procurement Project Management Building Information Modelling
	Dr Yusof Ibraheem Associate Research Fellow DiTIC Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise 3D Construction Energy Harvesting and Storage
	Ms Amirah Abd Wahab Research Officer DiTIC Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Expertise Building Information modelling Integrated Project Delivery Construction Project Life Cycle Management

CORE DIVISION

Research Division

The Research Division leads research, development, commercialization and innovation activities in DiTIC. These includes but not limited to, enhance research publications, initiate research collaboration and industry partnership. The division is supported by various research groups such as digital construction RG, Biomimicry Design RG, HBIM RG and Contract Management RG.

Training Division

Training Division is committed to provide quality training programmes to both internal and external parties with the required competencies to utilize, develop and innovate effective instruction in related subject matter. The division also assists the participants to develop and nurture their leadership talent and professional qualification within the industry.

Public Relation Division

Public Relation Division managing the flow of information between the research centre and the public. The division provides an organizational or individual (researcher) exposure to the public.

Research Group (RG)

Digital Construction
Principle Investigator : Dr Chai Chang Saar

Biomimicry Design in Construction
Principle Investigator : Dr Sivaraman Kuppusamy

Heritage BIM
Principle Investigator : Dr Noor Azeyah Khiyon

Trust Based Functioning Contracting Model
Principle Investigator : Ms Celine Lee

Training Programme

Code	Content	Discipline	Duration (days)
11000- BIM Related Training
11001	BIM Fundamental	Architecture	2
11002		Structure	2
11003		MEP	3
12001	Advance BIM	Architecture	3
12002		Structure	3
12003		MEP	3
13001	BIM Integration	LOD 300	2
13002		LOD 400	2
13003		LOD 500	3
21000- Virtual and Digital Construction
21001	Fundamental Digital Twining	VR	1
21002		AR	1
21003		3D Laser Scanning	2
21004		Point Cloud-BIM	2
21005		3D Printing	1
21006		Heritage BIM (H-BIM)	2
22001	Advance Digital Twining	VR	2
22002		AR	2
22003		3D Laser Scanning	2
22004		Point Cloud-BIM	2
22005		3D Printing	2
22006		Heritage BIM (H-BIM)	2
31000- Digital Literacy and Citizenship
31001	Change Management in Digitalization		2
31002	Digital Quotient		1
31003	Digital Intelligence		1

Consultancy

Code	Content	Discipline
C12000- BIM Related Consultancy
C12001	BIM	Architecture
C12002		Structure
C12003		MEP
C22000- Virtual and Digital Construction
C22001	Digital Twining	VR
C22002		AR
C22003		3D Laser Scanning
C22004		Point Cloud-BIM
C22005		3D Printing
C22006		Heritage BIM (H-BIM)

The consultancy practice will be following UOR RES policy.

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

NEWS AND EVENTS

International Outreach Programme

Location : Taiwan

Date : 18^th February 2019- 22^nd February 2019

The International Outreach Programme- Taiwan focus on the construction development especially in automation, Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital twining and construction economics and the role of each stakeholders in promoting digital construction. Taiwan is known as a smart sustainable human-centric city, which is intended to enhance digital infrastructure, re-construct a service-based digital government, and realize a fair and active internet society with equal digital rights. In addition, innovative cross-boundary digital applications can be initialized with solid digital infrastructures, not only to further drive industry to adopt digital development, but also to promote the smart city concept and bridge the digital divide in rural areas.

What can be learned from this IOP is the digital nation framework and construction Industry Revolution 4.0. The IOP study tour consist of 9 visits to, university, developer firms, New Southbound Policy office, Criminal Investigation Bureau and cultural sites. These provide the students with an opportunity to collaborate with lecturers/researchers, and integrate new perspectives with informal environments to enhance learning initiatives. Among the IOP benefits, skill development is the most important. In order to meet IOP objectives, students need to apply skills, values and general knowledge in new settings. The objectives for IOP-Taiwan are as follow:

Objectives

to acquire first-hand knowledge on digital construction and building automation in Taiwan.
to enhance industry collaboration with Taiwan practitioners.
to improve UoRM and DiTIC visibility in New Southbound Policy coverage region.
to explore 3D laser scanning ability in forensic discipline.

Key Visits

a) Tamkang University

Tamkang University enjoys widespread recognition as Taiwan's oldest private institution of higher learning and one of its most distinguished. It ranks 9th on comprehensive measures by Taiwan's Ministry of Education and in the top 50 universities in Asia. Tamkang University has 11 faculties comprising 47 departments, 50 master's programs, and 17 doctoral programs.

As a strategic research partner for University of Reading Malaysia, a research centre (DiTIC) was established to enhance engagement between Taiwan and Malaysia. As part of the collaboration, both universities are working together to build a hub for construction project management and digital technology that is committed to providing professional services in Southeast Asia.

The IOP tour will visit the Built Environment and Civil Engineering departments. A research sharing session and students’ knowledge transfer activities are expected to be conducted at Tamkang University main campus.

b) Industry Visit (Debao Group)

Debao Group is a Taiwan local multi construction disciplines company. The company consists of several divisions including real estate, project development (developer), construction, Civil and Structural consultancy, Mechanical and Electrical consultancy and digital innovation.

From the benefits of DiTIC establishment, UoRM sent 8 QS students to Taiwan Debao Group for their internship, practicing in project development and digital innovation divisions. The upcoming IOP tour is important to gain client’s feedback in UoRM students’ performance and at the same enhance the industry collaboration with Taiwan practitioners.

c) New Southbound Policy Office

The New Southbound Policy is the initiative of the Government of Taiwan to enhance cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and 18 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Australasia. 6 academic research centres established under New Southbound Policy as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Research Centres

The main purpose to visit New Southbound Policy Office is to extend the Taiwan-Malaysia collaboration to other research centres in Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Laos. Currently, the 6 research centres are communicating among each other, transferring experts to enhance respective research collaboration. This is important for UoRM to be visible in Southeast Asia region to build research led teaching reputation.

d) Criminal Investigation Bureau

The Criminal Investigation Bureau Taiwan is the agency of National Police Agency under Ministry of Interior. We are invited by the Chief Commander Ms Tracy Liu to visit forensic investigation department. The purpose of the visit is to explore the 3D laser scanning functions and importance in forensic investigation. We are expected to explore different workflow in using 3D laser scanner.

Tentative Programme

Day	Date	Time
1	18/2/2019	0800 1400-1700	UoRM-SIN-TPE Cultural Visit
2	19/2/2019	0900-1200 1400-1700	Visit Tamkang University Cultural Visit
3	20/2/2019	0900-1200 1400-1700	Industry Visit Cultural Visit
4	21/2/2019	0900-1200 1400-1700	Visit New Soutbound Policy Office Visit Criminal Investigation Bureau
5	22/2/2019	0900-1000	Memorial Hall Parade TPE-SIN-UoRM

Cultural visit :
- Tamsui old street
- National Palace Museum
- ShiLin Night Market
- YangMing Shan National Park
- Zhong Zheng Memorial Hall