KYOTO, JAPAN, 27 September 2017 – The Regional Council of the Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN) is committed into moving towards creating Global University, which is no longer about one university but about the combined strength of all APUCEN members to successfully conduct impactful global engagement to solve global issues.

The partnership between members from different countries will shed new light in solving today’s challenges through innovative directions, as APUCEN believes strongly in “celebrating our differences towards the same goal”.

This statement was made by the President of APUCEN, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail, at the 11^th Regional APUCEN Council meeting at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS), which was attended by 10 of its 13 Council Members.

Asma, who chaired the meeting said, APUCEN will work closely with all member institutions, NGOs and corporate members, and it is all about “us” moving together the Global Engagement Agenda.

“It is now all about High Tech with High Touch and “us” as a Global University to solve global issues, where different universities having different strengths now come together as one entity. Working together as one provides opportunity to marry science and arts, creating an impactful global community engagement.

“Through the combined efforts from different institutions and countries, APUCEN is moving towards local solutions for global problems,” she added.

The other important matter raised was APUCEN’s support for Service Learning, where students will play a more significant role in making changes in selected communities through the guidance from their supervisors. All member institutions are supportive in conducting Service Learning Workshop and will look into this programme in detail.

The Meeting was attended by representatives from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Thammasat University, Chulalongkorn University, Chiangmai University, Universitas Andalas, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia and San Pedro College.

APUCEN has been moving actively and had conducted Community Engagement projects both nationally and internationally with its members, which include projects in Nepal and Cambodia.

Asma expressed her sincere thanks and congratulations to all the institutions and members involved in all these projects, either by leading the projects or by partnering in the projects.

“This epitomises the true spirit of APUCEN on moving forward together through partnerships.”

APUCEN has grown over the years, and now with 92 members from 19 countries, is expanding beyond the Asia-Pacific region. This is a reflection of how APUCEN has grown from strength to strength, partnering with open-minded institutions. APUCEN is encouraging corporate sectors as well as NGOs to be members, with the aim of working together to conduct Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.

Asma added, “On behalf of APUCEN, I would like to record my sincerest thanks to Kyoto University of Foreign Studies for hosting the meeting and sharing its idea on “CE through the United Nation Model”.

Also at the meeting were USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network), Professor Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed and APUCEN Executive Director, Professor Dato' Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai.

Text: Professor Dato' Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai/Editing: Tan Ewe Hoe