GEORGE TOWN, PENANG, 2 March 2016 – The collaboration and cooperation established between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT) Japan which had existed since 2005 is now strengthened further with the establishment of the USM-NUT Gigaku Techno Park (USM-NUT GTP) office at USM.

“NUT has succeeded in establishing NUT GTP in four countries, namely Mexico, Spain, Vietnam and Thailand, with USM-NUT GTP  being the fifth, and Malaysia was chosen for its location, which is at the centre among the countries in South-East Asia,” said the Consul-General of Japan in Penang, Ryuji Noda.

“I wished that more Japanese companies and industries in Malaysia and Japan would cooperate in promoting academic studies and also research at the international stage,” added Ryuji in a ceremony officiating the USM-NUT GTP office at the Toray-USM Knowledge Transfer Centre building here recently.

 

According to the USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman, USM and NUT would continue collaborating together in intensifying research in various areas especially in Engineering and also in the Sciences.

“At USM, students from Japan are among the many who are involved in exchange programmes within the past few years and USM-NUT GTP could be realised into a one-stop centre to enhance relations between USM and NUT,” said Omar.

The President of NUT, Dr. Nobuhiko Azuma later said that, USM-NUT GTP would become a hub for research in the context of the academia and also with any industry keen on having relations with the two renowned universities in their respective fields. 

“I hoped that with the officiating of USM-NUT GTP, it would spur the growth of international relations further between USM and NUT, while at the same time allowing USM the access to parties which have had prior engagements with NUT,” added Azuma.

At the same ceremony, USM has signed two Memorandums of Agreement (MoA) with NUT through the School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, to collaborate in areas of study and research as well as student exchange and also through the Vice-Chancellor’s Office in relation to the USM-NUT GTP partnership.

Others who were present at the ceremony include the Managing Director of Toray Industries  (Malaysia), Yoshimura Hiroshi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Dato’ Dr. Muhamad Jantan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network) Professor Dato’ Dr. See Ching Mey together with other Japanese company and industry representatives in Malaysia.

Translation: Tan Ewe Hoe

Teks: Nor Rafizah Md Zain / Foto: Mohd Fairus Md Isa