SERDANG: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) is ready to accept students from Guinea-Bissau, paving the way for strategic cooperation with African nations, which are seldom seen as development partners in the field of higher education.
Its vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said the university is always prepared to support its counterparts from the African continent, viewing the visit by Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló to the UPM campus here today as a valuable opportunity to forge mutually beneficial bilateral ties.
He said Guinea-Bissau, an agriculture-based nation, has chosen UPM as a strategic partner for education and skills training.
“The President himself expressed his intention to send students to UPM in agro-bio-related fields, particularly to the Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, as these are their current primary needs,“ he told Bernama and RTM.
Ahmad Farhan noted that Guinea-Bissau is currently focused on undergraduate-level education to produce a skilled workforce capable of driving its economy.
“Usually, countries come to discuss sending PhD students, but Guinea-Bissau is still at an early stage. They need basic-level capacity development first,“ he said.
When asked about the implementation of the collaboration, he said it remains in the preliminary stage and no official decision has been made yet.
Earlier, Embaló was briefed by Ahmad Farhan on the university’s Food Security Plan, which outlines its key strategies in addressing food security challenges through biotechnology and innovation.
The President is currently in Malaysia for a three-day official visit.
