TOKYO, JAPAN, 19 February 2016 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) continues its collaboration effort with universities in Japan, as the USM Vice-Chancellor Professor Dato' Dr. Omar Osman had been there since Tuesday to attend the 3rd Council Meeting for the Promotion of Education and Research on Technology and Science in Tokyo, Japan as a member of the Council.

The Council has the advisory role to a number of technological universities and institutes in Japan to enhance their global competitiveness with the implementation of collaborative programmes.According to Omar, his visit this time was also to ensure USM’s position in the Science and Technology cooperation framework with various institutions there.

During his official visit there, Omar also chaired the first meeting of the Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN@Japan) which was attended by more than 20 members, held at the Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS).

"I would like to convey my gratitude and sense of pride in the achievement of APUCEN@Japan, hosted by the Deputy Chairperson of APUCEN Professor Dr. Takeshi Matsuda, who is also the President of KUFS and for the presence of all the members. APUCEN now has a membership which has increased to 79 members, coming from 18 different countries," said Omar.

In this meeting, KUFS shared the community engagement efforts initiated by them, with the involvement of the students and staff in Cambodia in educating the local parents on the importance of providing education to their children as means of escaping the poverty trap.

Another matter highlighted was the TEDX@Kyoto, serving as the platform in spreading information to the community throughout the world, and how it can to be benefitted by APUCEN in spreading information.

At the same meeting, an invitation was also extended to USM to send student representatives from the university to participate in the Japan University English Model United Nations (JUEMUN) 2016, which is to be held from 24 - 26 June at KUFS, providing the participants with opportunities to attend various events and to be part of the global community, as how it is in the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

In the meantime, efforts are also underway to establish the APUCEN Student Chapter@University through the USM branch, as means of encouraging students from various institutions to cooperate through exchange programmes, collaborations and education in community engagement, which have received good support from the respective members. "Another issue discussed was the proposal to establish a committee and agenda on the organisation of the upcoming APUCEN Conference in Kyoto, Japan, as well as in sharing experiences on issues of financial sustainability and the roles of academicians in community engagement," said Omar.

The USM Vice-Chancellor who was accompanied by USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network) Professor Dato' Dr. Susie See Ching Mey and Director of USM International Collaborations, Professor Dr. Lee Keat Teong visited the Toray Corporation headquarters and factory, as Toray is a main strategic partner of USM with its contribution of RM4 million for the construction of the Toray-USM Knowledge Transfer Centre at USM.

Besides Toray, they also visited the Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS), Kyoto that together with USM has established the KUFS-USM Japanese Culture Centre at USM, as well as other universities which have strategic collaborations with USM such as Kyoto University Kyoto, Hiroshima City University (HCU), Hiroshima University Hiroshima, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) Tokyo, Soka University Tokyo and Toda Institute of Peace Tokyo.

Omar is also expected to visit the RIKEN Research Institute in Tokyo, which has close working relations with USM, and Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT), Tokyo as well as meeting the USM alumni members in Japan to strengthen ties with global members of the alumni.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text: Mohamad Abdullah