TOKYO, JAPAN, 10 November 2025 — Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the NITORI International Scholarship Foundation today formalised a strategic partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signing ceremony held at the NITORI Head Office in Tokyo, Japan.

The ceremony marks the establishment of the NITORI International Scholarship Fund at USM, aimed at providing financial assistance to deserving undergraduate students from Malaysia’s B40 socio-economic group, particularly those enrolled at the USM School of Languages, Literacies and Translation (SoLLaT).

The fund, amounting to RM95,000, will support ten high-performing and financially deserving second-year undergraduates from the SoLLaT, with each recipient receiving RM9,500, disbursed through the USM bursary and Dana Citra SoLLaT.

The scholarship, effective from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027 and renewable for up to two years, reflects NITORI’s commitment to empowering students and fostering academic excellence at USM.

Signed by representatives from both institutions, the delegation from USM was led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed, and attended by the Dean of SoLLaT, Professor Dr. Hazri Jamil.

The event was also graced by the Representative Director of the NITORI International Scholarship Foundation, Mr. Akio Nitori.

 

In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor expressed his deep appreciation on the generosity and commitment of NITORI towards education, stating that the partnership reflects a shared vision of nurturing talent and fostering international goodwill.

“This collaboration is not just about financial support, it is about building bridges between cultures and empowering future leaders,” he said.

He added, “The scholarship initiative aligns with the mission of USM regarding inclusivity and excellence, and will be administered with full transparency and accountability in accordance with NITORI’s standards.”

“The contribution from NITORI reflects the confidence that an international body has on USM in shaping the future of talented students, whom in turn could give back to society at the global level,” said the Vice-Chancellor.

This initiative is expected to provide financial support throughout the duration of the recipients’ study, in addition to raising their motivation and academic performance, and to strengthen the global partnership between USM and Japanese organisations in areas of education and social welfare.

This partnership also reinforces the role of USM as Malaysia’s APEX university in driving impactful global collaborations and promoting cross-cultural understanding through education.

In addition to establishing strategic partnerships, SoLLaT has also started the drive to secure funds through its own Dana Citra SoLLaT, as means to offer support and further empower its B40 students.

This initiative by SoLLaT underlines efforts to ensure that all students would gain equal opportunity and access to education.

This partnership directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by ensuring inclusive and equitable access to higher education for financially deserving students.

It also advances SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities by empowering Malaysia’s B40 community, while strengthening global collaboration under SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Text & Photo: School of Languages, Literacies and Translation (SoLLaT) USM/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin