Conference Venue

The 2^nd ICBP will be held in USM, which is located in Penang Island, Malaysia. USM is situated about 13 minutes drive (~9.8 km) from the Penang International Airport, and located just 10 km away from Georgetown, the capital city of Penang Island.

USM main campus was established in 1969 as the second university in Malaysia. It is one of the biggest universities in terms of enrolled students; 20842 students in 2008 which leads to the lecturer-student ratio of around 1:16. The University operated on its present 239.4-hectare site at Minden, which is apart from its other USM campuses; Health Campus (Kubang Kerian, Kelantan) and Engineering Campus (Seri Ampangan, Penang mainland). To date, 24 Academic Schools, 14 Centres and 7 Units have been established to provide, promote and develop learning in the fields of Pure Sciences, Building Science and Technology, Social Sciences, Humanities and Education as well as to conduct research and foster the dissemination of such knowledge.

As the University in a Garden, the concept as conceptualized by USM is designed to depict the close affinity between its roles and function as an institute of higher learning and nature amidst a garden setting (www.usm.net.my/garden/). The flora, fauna, aquatic elements and other natural creations are dynamically linked in the exploration into the nature of existence.

Campus map of USM (www.usm.my/my/images/map.jpg)