USM, PENANG, 23 September 2016 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is in talks with a Japanese consultant group on the possibility of having collaborations in holding ‘Business and Sustainable Development’ programmes for the campus community.

“The issue of sustainability is of foremost importance to the university, as reflected in the planning of its policies and the implementation of practices at the university,” said the USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman.

“In becoming a global university, USM wants to ensure that its vision of having a sustainable future will be implemented in many aspects.

“Having established a significant presence in a number of world university ranking systems, USM has also set up a university sustainability council, established sustainability policies as well as guidelines on governance; in addition to the academic programmes, activities, secretariat, networks and centres currently running,” he further said.

He added that all these would further contribute to the status of USM as the nation’s sole APEX university.

The founder and Director of First Penguin Sdn. Bhd., Dr. Wong Lai Yong said that, by establishing relations with USM, it is hoped that there would be a sustained effort in organising related programmes in the future.

Dr. Wong, with her extensive experience working in Japan previously, is coordinating the effort with an advertising company, Nagata Co. Ltd. from Japan, led by its CEO Ichiro Nagata who was also present at the discussion.

“The programmes to be implemented could be adapted to suit the local needs and situations,” added Ms. Mizue Unno, Managing Director of So-Tech Consulting Inc Tokyo, who is also involved as part of the initiative. The firm has previously conducted programmes abroad, one being a programme at the University of Mandalay and Yadanabon University in Myanmar.

The USM Vice-Chancellor, in summing up the discussion, proposed for the Japanese delegates and their USM counterparts to look into niche areas and case studies, which could then be extended to the industries to be more outcome-based.

Also present at the discussion were the Director of USM Centre for Education, Training and Research in Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Green Technology (CETREE&GT), Associate Professor Dr. Mohd. Wira bin Mohd. Shafiei; Director of Community Engagement, USM Division of Industry and Community Network (BJIM), Tn. Syed Yusof Syed Kechik; representatives from the USM Knowledge Transfer Centre (KTC) and Sustainable Campus Secretariat and key university officials.

Text: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin / Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa