UniMAP Strengthens Ties With The University Of Sindh, Pakistan

PENANG, 27 February 2016 - Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) continues to move forward in strengthening higher education in Malaysia at the international arena through academic strategic cooperation with the University of Sindh (SU), Pakistan.

The collaboration includes exchange of academia as well as cooperation in the field of research and journal publications, especially in social sciences and humanities field, which is the main thrust of SU, said its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat.

According to him, research is among the key elements that will enhance the image of a university, especially in dealing with global challenges today.

"UniMAP has strengths in engineering, while SU has expertise in the field of humanities and social sciences, thus, when both these fields are merged, it would be able to solve many global and economic problems.

"Based on the work perspectives, engineers are related to commercial applications and provides technological requirements to be accepted by society while the humanities and social sciences field are the core areas and soft skills that needs to be embedded in an engineer.

"In addition, the invention of engineers are also for the benefit and use of mankind as a whole," he said in his speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Fourth International Conference on the Role of Humanities and Social Sciences in Engineering 2017 (ICoHSE4) held at Park Royal Hotel, yesterday.

The conference, attended by over 150 participants from within and outside the country, was jointly organized by the School of Human Development and Technocommunication (iKOM) UniMAP, SU and ENSICAEN School of Engineering Caen, France.

UniMAP Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ir. Dr. Kamarudin Rezuwan officiated the conference. Also present were the Chairman of the Board of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Datuk Seri Mohd. Salleh Yaapar.

Dr. Burfat said that he was happy to be invited as a co-organizer of an international conference in Malaysia and value this as an opportunity to encourage students and academia exchange programs between the two universities.

SU previously has appointed two UniMAP professors as their Visiting Professor to assist the development of academic, research and quality of lecturers at the university for a period of two weeks in early February.

Meanwhile, UniMAP Vice-Chancellor, Datuk Prof Dr. Zul Azhar Zahid Jamal said the appointment indirectly proves that the expertise of UniMAP academia is increasingly recognized internationally as they can become consultants for foreign universities.

He said that both Professor appointed, namely the Deputy Chairperson of UniMAP Council of Professors, Datin Prof. Dr. Zuraidah Mohd Zain, and the Dean of iKom, Associate Professor Dr. Huzili are responsible for providing advisory services to the academic programs at the university and to share expertise in the field of academic management, higher education system, research and thesis writing.

"UniMAP will continue to encourage staff and students to develop their academic portfolio through international mobility program despite facing financial constraints.

"New approaches and methods will be developed to ensure the continuity of the mobility program which is the best platform for developing linkages with other universities abroad," he added.