PENANG, September 2015 – 32 students together with 2 lecturers from the Prince of Songkhla University (PSU) Hat Yai, Thailand who specialised in the field of Biotechnology (Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics) visited the School of Biological Sciences (PPSK) Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) recently, as a follow-up programme to a prior collaboration between the two institutions.

The lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences Professor Dr. K. Sudesh Kumar S/O C. Kanapathi Pillai said, this visit which marked the third time since 2013, was aimed at fulfilling the wishes of both parties in exploring opportunities for an exchange of ideas, to stimulate interdisciplinary discussions and establishing networks between USM and PSU.

Said Sudesh further, PPSK USM is always ready to give the highest commitment, especially in having a collaboration such as this, involving the sharing of knowledge which can be beneficial to both sides, more so to the students involved.

“In our effort to extend the scope of knowledge beyond our boundaries, we need to integrate and create a systematic environment for us to go across various disciplines of knowledge and institutions; in fact USM is also committed in establishing research relations which have holistic importance with the available expertise, especially in the field of biotechnology,” he further said.

The PSU representative, who also lectures on Biotechnology (Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics), Dr. Alisa Nakkaew said, the short visit has given quite a big impact to the students, especially in seeing the laboratories at USM being fully-equipped.

“We highly valued this visit even though it was only a short one, it has benefitted us in terms of generating ideas among the students in facing their final year project for the coming semester,” said Alisa.

The Biotechnology (Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics) PSU lecturer, Dr. Monwadee Wonglapsuwan said, the visit enabled them to explore worthwhile opportunities for future collaborations with PPSK.

“This visit has given them a new input as well as learning from a different perspective; at the same time widening the minds of the lecturers through the direct exchange of ideas with the experts here,” the lecturer further said.

A third-year undergraduate student majoring in Biotechnology PSU, Ittiphol Patavanich, 20, said, the visit to PPSK was truly an eye-opener for all of them, with its amazing environment even though it was only for two days, and they hope to return here in the near future.

Another student Singhanet Phanaphitakkul, 20, also agreed that PPSK USM creates a conducive environment to further their studies with its well-equipped facilities, and the sense of pride in being able to come to USM, considered to be a world-renowned APEX-status university.

Natchapon Srinak, 21, said, USM is a university that has sustainable surroundings, with the green environment which can be soothing to those being within the grounds.

“I love to see the clean and wonderful campus grounds especially the greeneries which can be very calming,” said the young student further to TVUSM.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Text: Siti Naquiah Abdillah/Photo: Hafiz Meah Ghouse Meah