The university currently has 198 international collaborators worldwide including those in North America and Europe
By NURUL SUHAIDI / Pic Courtesy UPM
UNIVERSITI Putra Malaysia (UPM) is committed to evolve into an institution of international repute through teaching and learning, research and innovation, publications and more through strategic collaborations with overseas institutions.
Its Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Roslan Sulaiman said for this, the university will strengthen its internationalisation effort as a means to provide quality education.
UPM currently has 198 international collaborators from across the world including those in North America and Europe.
Ranked 143 in the 2022 QS World University Ranking and 27 in the Asian University Ranking, he added that UPM owes much of the quality education it offers to various inter-nationalisation efforts.
“As an alumnus of UPM myself, I have seen it grow and expand in ways that would certainly make any alumni proud to call this institution their alma mater,” Mohd Roslan said in a recent statement.
Even with the previous physical movement restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, UPM did not stop its internationalisation efforts by creatively converting into online mode.
Throughout the period, various activities were conducted online such as the Virtual Mobility Programme Incentive, Virtual Study Visit and Putra Experience, and the active participation in virtual international consortiums with Erasmus+, University Alliance in Talent Education Development, the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle, Asean University Network and Kyushu Institute of Technology.
Mohd Roslan said these programmes have enabled the students to expand their worldview, skills, and knowledge through first-hand experiences at UPM.
As a result of increased internationalisation, a growing number of students from other countries are visiting UPM through mobility programmes such as semester exchanges, internships, research attachments and visits.
“With 198 exchange partnerships across 40 countries, UPM is always looking forward to expanding its student mobility portfolio,” he said. Additionally, to boost sustainable academic development, quality research and innovation as well as expertise in consultancy work, UPM has opened its door to visiting lecturers for a staff mobility programme.
It offers tailor-made programmes for professionals from all over the world, with an emphasis on skill development in areas such as leadership, communication, entrepreneurship, and athletic training.
Recently, the university has participated in the Education Week of the Expo 2020 Dubai to enhance international collaboration, in support for the fulfilment of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Higher Education Ministry’s commitment in achieving quality education, which is the fourth SDG.
With “Education for Sustainable Development” as a theme, Mohd Roslan said the participation was in line with UPM’s internationalisation efforts thus far.
UPM’s representatives gave two pocket lectures, including its institutional strategy for meeting the SDGs as well as UPM’s experience in establishing and maintaining cross-continent relationships during the pandemic.
“They also actively participated in the promotion of UPM to the global audience and attended business matching meetings,” he added.
During the Education Week, UPM had successfully signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ajman University of the United Arab Emirates to establish collaborations to develop various facets of academia similar to partnerships with other overseas institutions.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (academic and international) Prof Dr M Iqbal Saripan and Vice Chancellor for academic affairs Prof Dr Khaled Assaleh signed the MoU on behalf of UPM and Ajman University, respectively.