USM, PENANG, 15 February 2016 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) today welcomed a visit from the delegates of University of North Carolina – Wilmington (UNCW), USA with the aim of discussing and identifying potential areas of mutual interest for academic and research collaborations.

The UNCW delegation was headed by the Director of the UNCW Center for Marine Science (CMS), Professor Dr. Martin H. Posey together with Associate Professor Dr. Ai Ning Loh (Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences) and Professor Dr. Amy Kirschke (Chair, Department of Art and Art History).

The two-hour discussion session was chaired by the Director of USM Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Professor Dr. Ahmad Sofiman Othman.

Among others, the discussion focused on possibilities for student exchanges in various disciplines of arts and sciences, as well as in offering short-term study abroad opportunities.

The UNCW delegation was also looking into exchanges and collaborations in specific areas of marine science, as well as in the arts and digital arts.

Both sides have also agreed to look into the possibility of engaging in staff and student exchange and mobility programmes.

UNCW, which is located in North Carolina, USA has been ranked in the top 10 as one of the "Best Public Institutions in the South" on U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges" rankings. U.S. News also named UNCW one of the most efficient universities in the nation. 

Others present at the session were heads and representatives from the USM School of Biological Sciences; School of the Arts; School of Social Sciences; School of Humanities; Centre for Global Archaeological Research; School of Languages, Literacies and Translation and the USM International Mobility and Career Centre (USM-IMCC), as well as other staff members from the respective departments.

Text: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin / Photo: Ebrahim Abdul Manan