USM PENANG, 19 May 2025 – The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Interior Architecture Programme, School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP) recently conducted an academic visit to Donghua University in Shanghai, China.

Led by Dr. Mohd Jaki Mamat and accompanied by Professor Dr. Azizi Bahauddin and Dr. Safial Aqbar Zakaria, a total of 20 third-year students from the Interior Architecture Programme participated in this visit. Also joining the group was Professor Dr. A. Ghafar Ahmad (Retired).

The visit, held from 12 to 17 May 2025, aimed to provide meaningful exposure for both students and lecturers through the exchange and appreciation of students’ work from both institutions.

A mini digital exhibition was held to showcase selected student projects from both universities.

Additionally, lecturers from USM and Donghua University engaged in a focused discussion to explore potential avenues for future collaboration.

The visit also offered USM students the opportunity to experience Donghua University's campus environment, including its studios, workshops, and student exhibition spaces.

This exposure enabled students to make international comparisons and reflect on their own academic development within a global context.

Following the campus visit, the itinerary continued with explorations around various parts of Shanghai to study the city’s rich cultural and architectural heritage.

 

As a global metropolis renowned for its modernity, Shanghai provided valuable insights into contemporary interior design – particularly regarding material selection, lighting design, colour usage, spatial composition, and the conceptual and philosophical approaches behind these elements.

 

Overall, the visit successfully met its objectives: offering international exposure in the field of interior architecture, strengthening academic ties between USM and Donghua University, and enhancing students' understanding of international benchmarks in design education, particularly through the comparison of student work from Malaysia and China.

Source: Dr. Mohd Jaki Mamat, Interior Architecture Programme, School of Housing, Building & Planning (HBP), USM/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin