KUALA LUMPUR: UCSI University and Billion Prima Sdn Bhd, one of Asia’s leading companies in non-intrusive inspection technology, will collaborate in research.

Under a memorandum of agreement inked by the two parties, five UCSI students will now work on three engineering projects involving imaging, communication and radiation monitoring.

Billion Prima will sponsor the students throughout their research assignments. The cost of the exercise is expected to exceed RM200,000.

UCSI vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir said that the MoA was significant as it involved high-impact research that could impact the industry.

“I am glad that Billion Prima is sponsoring our students and I am hopeful that this collaboration will generate new knowledge,” she said in her speech.

“I am confident that Billion Prima will continue hiring our graduates and I hope that our alumni will go on to establish technology startups of their own.”

She added that the field was an area she wanted to venture into during her tenure as Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation secretary-general.

Hailing the collaboration, Billion Prima general manager Lee Yuh Jiunn said that his company was keen to attract more talent from UCSI.

“We want to train local talents and we will continue funding them to revolutionise the scanning industry,” he said.

“We have been looking to collaborate with UCSI over the past year.”

He added that the company had also funded two industrial PhD students from UCSI. One is already working at the company and another will start in August.

Billion Prima runs Southeast Asia’s sole R&D centre for cargo and baggage scanning. It is also the region’s leading manufacturer of non-intrusive screening equipment.

UCSI is ranked in the world’s top 1% in the QS World University Rankings 2025 by virtue of its top 265 ranking. It stands out as one of Asia’s top private universities.