JAKARTA, 11 April 2026 – “The collaboration between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universitas Terbuka (UT) Indonesia through IMPACT 2026 has not only opened new avenues for learning, but also strengthened academic and cultural ties between Malaysia and Indonesia,” said the Head of Delegation for the IMPACT 2026 programme, Dr. Norhanishah Mohamad Yunus, at its closing ceremony in Jakarta.

She was there with two other staff from the School of Distance Education (PPPJJ), USM to accompany 13 students from the Distance Education Programme (RPJJ) attending the International Mobility Programme for Academic and Cultural Transformation (IMPACT) 2026 programme, an international mobility programme organised by Universitas Terbuka (UT) Indonesia in collaboration with PPPJJ, USM.

The programme was carried out in two phases: the first held online from 26 January to 20 February 2026, followed by a face‑to‑face session from 5 to 11 April 2026 at UT Jakarta.

Norhanishah said, “Throughout the programme, participants engaged in a variety of academic activities and field experiences that gave them valuable international exposure.”

“Among the highlights were an international seminar entitled “Building Sustainable and Globally Competitive MSMEs in the Digital Era”, a trip around the campus of UT Jakarta, a visit to the Indonesian Stock Exchange, visiting small and medium enterprises (SME) in Bandung, and taking part in a cultural exchange session between Malaysia and Indonesia.

“This programme can be regarded as an important platform in enhancing the students’ knowledge and experience, especially in dealing with challenges in the rapidly-changing digital world,” she said.

One of the participants, Aziah Abdul Majid, said that a programme such as this should be opened further to more RPJJ students to allow them the international exposure and a practical learning experience.

Norhanishah expressed her deep appreciation to Universitas Terbuka for their warm hospitality and well‑organised programme, and hoped that the collaboration between USM and UT would continue to grow through more joint initiatives in the future.

Overall, the organisation of IMPACT 2026 has succeeded in achieving its objective in giving the students broader insights, in addition to establishing a meaningful international network that is in line with the current needs in globalised education.

Original Text & Photo: Mohd Rashid Abdul Rejab, School of Distance Education, USM/Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin