PENANG, 5 June 2015 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) through its Graduate School of Business (GSB) continues to strengthen its strategic cooperation with Telkom University (Tel-U), Bandung, Indonesia by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) held at GSB Meeting Room today.

GSB Deputy Dean (Academic) Associate Professor Dr. Azlan Amran representing the Dean, Associate Professor Dr. Sofri Yahya hopes with this strategic cooperation, it will further enhance training, research and development endeavours in a number of programmes that have been developed between the two universities.

"The initial cooperation involves the development of human resources between the two universities that is being drawn up in accordance with the agenda that was agreed upon during the GSB Dean’s visit to Tel-U last December," he said.

He added, several programmes have been developed through this MoU involving students and lecturers that have benefitted both institutions and have impact on all parties especially in the area of research.

Meanwhile, Tel-U Vice-Rector (Academic and Information System) Dr. Heroe Wijanto, representing the Rector, Professor Ir. Mochamad Ashari said, he hopes that USM and Tel-U will continue to tap into each other’s specialised knowledge and areas of expertise as well as networking through these programmes.

“As a start, Tel-U will send 16 of its lecturers to further their studies at the Ph.D level in USM in various disciplines as part of its aspiration to increase the number of Ph.D holders among its academic staff.

“Currently, Tel-U has about 705 lecturers who are not Ph.D holders; I truly hope that this strategic partnership will encourage more lecturers from Tel-U to continue their studies in USM to the highest level,” he added.

Tel-U is determined to foster closer and more meaningful relationship with USM that is well known for its viable research outputs and products, and hopefully this programme will also act as a catalyst for more progressive research programmes in developing the overall talent and capability of the academic staff.

“It is my hope too that this partnership with USM will help transform Tel-U into a renowned university in Indonesia specialising in the field of telecommunications and information technology as well as enhancing the university’s visibility at the international level,” Heroe Wijanto told TVUSM after the MoU signing.

Also present were GSB Deputy Deans, and Tel-U delegates. - Translation: Tan Ewe Hoe/Text: Syuhada A. Aziz & Siti Naquiah Abdillah/Photos: Zamani Abd. Rahim