USM, PENANG, September 2016 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and TORAY Group (Malaysia) of Companies (Toray) have agreed to continue to strengthen their smart partnership to further intensify collaborations in research, teaching and learning.

USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Dato’ Dr. Muhamad Jantan and Toray Industries, Inc., Japan Executive Vice-President Koichi Abe signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) recently to reconfirm their shared intentions.

Muhamad who represented the USM Vice-Chancellor at the signing ceremony said that, USM is well pleased as it marks the beginning of another phase of the collaboration, which represents an important step towards promoting scholarly engagement between Toray and USM.

 

“With the LOI being inked here today, it is our hope that both entities will be further strengthened and reaffirmed each other’s commitment in promoting knowledge transfer initiatives in the region, in line with USM’s APEX agenda ‘to be a trans-disciplinary research-intensive university that is relevant to the industry and community’.

“This unique partnership between USM and Toray started way back and has intensified over the last few years, premised on the quadruple helix ecosystem linking the industry, community, government agencies and university,” he said.

He added, “USM wish to thank Toray again for playing an important role in helping us build this ecosystem, of which I am confident that it will flourish as we work together towards a more sustainable future especially in the area of higher education.”

Also present at the signing ceremony held at the Toray-USM Knowledge Transfer Centre (Toray-USM KTC) here were the top management of both USM and Toray.

In 2013, Toray Group (Malaysia) of Companies donated RM4 million to USM on the occasion of its 40th anniversay celebration to support USM in building the Toray-USM KTC dedicated to the knowledge transfer programme; the promotion, preservation and restoration of local knowledge; and green technology initiatives.

Translation: Tan Ewe Hoe

Teks: Marziana Mohamed Alias / Foto: Ebrahim Abdul Manan