On 27 May, the Research Apprentice Program (RAP) kick-off event hosted by the School of Electrical & Electronics Engineering (EEE) was held. The event was held online via Microsoft Teams to keep inline with the current COVID-19 prevention measures.

EEE Chair, Professor Tan Yap Peng, and the President of the Machine Learning and Data Analytics (MLDA) Club, Mr Duan Jiafei, were the main speakers at the event. A total of 28 faculty members and 29 RAP students actively participated in the event.

RAP is a brand-new, one-year academic research program initiated by EEE. Its aim is to provide highly talented students with access to cutting-edge technology and a platform for interaction with EEE faculty members. Selected students can choose from a wide range of interesting research topics, get opportunities to perform paid research activities and attend international conferences with full financial support. The management team expects the participating students to contribute to the development of RAP as a sustainable organism integrating academic research, communication, and advocacy.

At the meeting, Professor Tan introduced the general situation and objectives of the RAP project, and explained in detail the structure of RAP and its corresponding sub-committees. To ensure the efficient implementation of RAP, the management team presented the detailed plans for the RAP project at the present stage and set regular milestones for the students. Mr Duan talked about his research experience and shared with students the challenges and opportunities academic research brought for his development. To help the students feel comfortable and help them quickly integrate into the RAP family, the management team invited the students to introduce themselves briefly. The professors also encouraged students to be brave in exploration and innovation, and to display their talents in the vast ocean that is academic research.

To mark the beginning of this new and exciting programme, participants ended the session with a group photo.