USM PENANG, 6 May 2024 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and University of Keele from United Kingdom today reaffirm areas of collaboration with the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) here today.

Led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Trevor McMillan, the delegates from Keele met their USM counterparts and discussed areas for strategic partnerships, as well as to identify mutual areas of interests.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed Professor said in his welcoming speech that, this visit would signify the renewing of previous partnerships and further solidify them which could lead to new, impactful outcomes.

Meanwhile, Trevor in his speech said that both institutions share common aims in education and research, as they go side by side in making an impact on society. Thus it is an opportunity and obligation for such relationships to go beyond the four walls of the institutions.

He further confirmed the commitment in the collaborations between Keele and USM, especially in involving the younger generation of researchers and academics as research and projects can grow faster through collaborations, such as joint postgraduate programmes.

This was then followed by a short session where matters regarding research, funding and other topics of interest were further discussed.

The MoU ceremony involved the signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement, Research Collaboration Agreement and Collaboration Agreement for the Royal Society International Exchange Grant. The first MoU between USM and Keele was signed in 2012, and which had expired in 2020. The current exercise is to renew such agreements between both parties.

Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation Professor Dr. Habibah A Wahab, who is also Exercising the Function of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and International; Deputy Vice-Chancellor Industrial Network, Community and Institutional Sustainability, Professor Dr. Azlan Amran; Deputy Vice-Chancellor Student Development Affairs and Alumni, Professor Dr. Shaharum Shamsuddin; Director of USM Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Professor Dato’ Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai; former USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail and other USM key officials.

Others who were present from Keele include the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), Professor Antonius Raghubansie; Dean of Internationalisation and Partnerships, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Dr. Mirna Mourtada-Maarabouni; Professor of Stellar Hydrodynamics and Nuclear Astrophysics, Director of the Digital Society Institute, Professor Raphael Hirschi and Keele School of Life Sciences researcher, Dr. Mark Skidmore.

Text: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa