KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and the Malaysia-China Industrial & Commerce Association (MCICA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in various fields of mutual interest.
Ir Prof Dr Goi Bok Min, UTAR’s vice president (Internationalisation and Academic Development), signed on behalf of the university while MCICA president Lu Zhifang represented the association at UTAR’s Sg Long campus near here.
In his welcoming remarks, Ir Prof Goi gave a brief outline of the achievements of UTAR.
UTAR was officially launched on Aug 13, 2002 as a not-for-profit private university providing affordable quality education.
UTAR is now highly reputed as one of the fastest growing private higher education institutions in Malaysia with phenomenal growth in all aspects of its development since its inception.
With its first intake of only 411 students at the temporary Petaling Jaya campus in 2002, UTAR’s enrolment has now reached about 20,000 students with campuses located in Kampar, Perak and Bandar Sungai Long, Selangor.
More than 82,000 students have since graduated from UTAR since its inaugural convocation in 2005. UTAR has also made impressive strides in establishing a strong reputation as a comprehensive university towards achieving excellence in teaching and research.
The university currently offers 138 academic programmes from Foundation Studies to Bachelor’s, Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s, and PhD degrees in the fields of Accounting, Business and Economics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics and Process Management, Agriculture and Food Science, Arts, Social Sciences and Education, Creative Industries and Design, Engineering and Built Environment, Information and Communication Technology, Life and Physical Sciences, and Medicine and Health Sciences.
Lu said in his speech that four months ago, MCICA brought some educational experts and institutional leaders from Zhanjiang City and Hangzhou City to visit several universities in Perak with a view to explore in-depth exchanges among the educational institutions.
He also singled out UTAR for its contribution to higher education in Malaysia besides helping many students from poor families to have access to higher education.
Saying that this year marked the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Malaysia, he added that MCICA had gone all out to bring young entrepreneurs from Malaysia to understand the progress and development opportunities in scientific and technological innovations in China.
At the same time, he said MCICA had also invited captains of industry from China to look at business opportunities in Malaysia, including the field of education.
Lu also said that with 2024 being the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, there was much expectation for more cooperation in new projects between the two countries.
Memphes Chong, Chief Project Officer of KTC Arkz Group Sdn Bhd, a corporate member of MCICA who had initiated the MoU, hoped that the two parties could strengthen their partnership to expand the exchange of university education between Malaysia and China.
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