PENANG, 19 January 2017 - The Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail said USM will further enhance collaborations with Universite de Lorraine, France and explore and expand new areas of interest.

“We hope that with the organisation of this 4th USM-UL Colloquium, the propagation of scientific understanding and academic improvement would be enhanced and the collaboration between the two institutions would continue to flourish,” added Asma.

“USM through the Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN) has collaborations with 87 institutions in 19 countries and I hope we can look for greater opportunities to forge partnerships with these universities,” she explained during the 4th USM-UL Colloquium Gala Dinner yesterday.

USM and UL achievements to date are joint research supervisions, exchange of researchers (including Sabbatical & Postdoctoral, teaching of undergraduate/postgraduate courses), publications (>40) co-authored by researchers from both institutions, and establishment of Laboratory for Biocrystallography and Structural Bioinformatics at USM, among others.

The three-day colloquium is themed ‘Life, Health and Environmental Sciences’ and was attended by 20 participants from UL, led by its Vice-President (Partnerships and International Affairs), Professor Karl Tombre.

Also present were Asma’s husband Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Zakaria; USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Dato' Dr. Muhamad Jantan and wife Assoc. Prof. Datin Suraiya Kassim; USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Professor Dato' Dr. Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal; USM Registrar Professor Dato' Dr. Abd. Aziz Tajuddin; and Dean of USM School of Chemical Sciences cum Colloquium Organising Committee Chairperson, Professor Dr. Afidah Abdul Rahim as well as the Director of Malaysia France University Centre (MFUC), Embassy of France in Malaysia Dr. Maxime Feraille.

Text: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain / Photo: Dzulfikar Azmi Muhamad Aripin