WELLINGTON: Malaysia is enhancing its academic collaboration with New Zealand through new agreements between local universities and leading institutions in the country. The focus areas include green technology, renewable energy, and sustainable development.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM) have signed agreements with the University of Canterbury and six other top New Zealand universities. These partnerships will involve twinning programmes, credit transfers, and joint research initiatives.
“This includes the implementation of twinning programmes, credit transfers and joint research initiatives that will provide added value to both Malaysian students and lecturers,” Ahmad Zahid said.
He added that student sponsorships by agencies such as MARA, the Public Service Department (PSD), and Petronas will be expanded to cover specialised fields not currently available in Malaysia, particularly in sustainable energy.
The UniKL–University of Canterbury agreement focuses on chemical and process engineering, halal food technology, and sustainable development. The partnership includes staff and student exchanges, joint research, and articulation pathways like 2+2 and 2.5+3 programme models.
Meanwhile, UPTM signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) to strengthen academic mobility, curriculum exchange, and innovative teaching methods. UPTM also held discussions with five other New Zealand universities to explore funding opportunities for international education. – Bernama
