USM PENANG, 4 November 2025 – The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Biological Sciences, and the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK), Universitas Teuku Umar (UTU), Indonesia, officially signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) today to strengthen cross-border collaboration in aquatic biodiversity, aquaculture, and sustainable fisheries research.

Held at the former’s Meeting Room, the ceremony marks a significant milestone in academic cooperation between the two institutions, paving the way for joint research projects, student and staff mobility, and scientific knowledge exchange in the field of aquatic sciences.

In his welcoming address, USM researcher, Dr. Norhafiz Hanafi Ahmad Shah highlighted that the MoA represents a continuation of shared commitment between both institutions to advance research and innovation in aquatic biodiversity and sustainable resource management.

“The signing today is not just a symbolic gesture, but a tangible step forward in strengthening regional scientific cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia — two nations that share similar ecological, cultural, and research aspirations,” he said.

Next in his address, the Dean of the School of Biological Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Amir Hamzah Ahmad Ghazali emphasised that this partnership aligns with USM’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14 – Life Below Water) and the university’s APEX vision of “Science for Humanity.”

He also extended his appreciation to the UTU delegation for their strong commitment and active participation in advancing regional aquatic biodiversity research.

The partnership between USM and UTU began through a joint biodiversity sampling project on Sciaenid fishes (Family Sciaenidae) in the coastal waters of Aceh, led by Norhafiz (USM) and Dr. Munandar (UTU).

This project provided valuable insights into the taxonomy and genetic diversity of the “Gulama” fish species and laid the foundation for a broader academic collaboration that culminated in today’s official agreement.

Through this MOA, both institutions have agreed to collaborate on joint research initiatives, publications, and training programmes in various focus areas including aquatic ecology, aquaculture, water quality, and pollution studies.

Witnessing the signing were the Dean of the School of Biological Sciences, USM and the Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, UTU, Professor Dr. Ir. Ismail Sulaiman, S.TP., M.Sc., IPU., ASEAN Eng., along with researchers, academic staff, and postgraduate students from both universities.

Following the signing ceremony, both USM and UTU researchers participated in a Research Sharing Session, where academics from both institutions presented their current research projects covering areas such as coastal fish biodiversity, microalgae studies, aquatic pollution, aquaculture innovation, and capture fisheries management.

In the afternoon, the UTU delegation visited several research facilities under the School of Biological Sciences, including the Electron Microscope (EM) Laboratory, Centre for Chemical Biology (CCB), and the Fish House Research Facility.

Coordinated by Dr. Faradina Merican Mohamed Sidik Merican, the visit provided the delegates with a close-up view of USM’s research infrastructure and ongoing projects in aquatic biodiversity and sustainable fisheries.

The collaboration also supports student and academic staff exchanges, as well as co-supervision opportunities for postgraduate research.

The signing of this MoA marks a new chapter of academic partnership between Malaysia and Indonesia.

Both USM and UTU reaffirmed their commitment to working collaboratively towards producing impactful scientific outcomes that benefit regional communities and contribute to sustainable aquatic resource management in Southeast Asia.

Source: School of Biological Sciences, USM press release/ Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin