CALIFORNIA, May 30 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) significantly expanded its international network and forged new collaborations during its participation in the National Association of Foreign Student Society (NAFSA) 2025 Annual Conference & Expo, held from May 27 to 30 in San Diego, California, United States of America (USA). The university’s presence at this prestigious global higher education event underscored its continuous commitment to global engagement and exploring new international collaboration avenues.
The UTM delegation was led by Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Ariffin Abu Hassan, Director of UTM International, accompanied by Ahmad Hilman Borhan, Manager of International Relations. Their active engagement at NAFSA 2025 aimed to build strategic relationships, strengthen ties with existing partners, and forge meaningful collaborations with higher education institutions and strategic organisations worldwide.
During the conference, UTM held productive meetings with more than 32 universities and institutions from 15 countries. Specific-focused interactions included discussions with eight institutions from the USA, five from Turkiye, three from Portugal, and three from Japan. Beyond university-level engagements, the delegation also convened with high-level representatives from National Agencies from several countries such as Portugal, Türkiye and Czech Republic related to higher education from various countries, as well as leaders from prominent global education networks such as European Association for International Education (EAIE), Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE), and Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS).
These extensive interactions aimed to strengthen existing partnerships and explore new collaborative opportunities across diverse regions. Discussions specifically focused on potential joint activities in academic and research fields, staff and student mobility programs, Erasmus+ opportunities, and other proposed initiatives designed to contribute to internationalization. UTM is particularly keen on venturing into more partnerships with institutions from the USA and Canada, especially in fields and universities where its prior engagement has been less active.
“What was particularly important was the proactive approach from universities, especially those from the United States,” commented Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Ariffin. “Instead of us driving every discussion, many institutions came prepared with clear intentions to explore collaboration, often leading the talks themselves and readily agreeing to proceed with partnership explorations.”
On the other hand, the conference also further provided invaluable insights into prevailing global higher education trends. Delegates observed a alarming concern among USA universities regarding their government’s higher education policies and border restrictions. Conversely, European counterparts expressed a strategic imperative to engage more actively with Asia, with one European university representative noting, “people are now coming to Asia, so we must hurry to reach as many partners in Asia.”
Further strengthening its international ties, UTM also conducted an exchange of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, a highly-regarded public university from The Netherlands (ranked #51 in QS Subject Rankings 2025 for Business & Management Studies). This partnership aims to foster staff and student exchange, alongside promoting joint research initiatives and publications.
During UTM’s participation in NAFSA, the university received enthusiastic reception following its announcement of hosting the APAIE 2027 conference in Kuala Lumpur. This news generated considerable surprise and excitement among many international universities, with many of them expressing their intentions to be part of APAIE 2027. Malaysia last hosted APAIE in 2019 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, an event that drew over 2,500 participants from more than 60 countries.
UTM’s proactive engagement at NAFSA not only reinforced its commitment to global expansion but also directly supported Malaysia’s objective of becoming a premier higher education hub, aligning perfectly with the Ministry of Higher Education’s (MOHE’s) emphasis on internationalization. This involvement yielded crucial insights into global collaborations and partnerships, underscoring cultural diplomacy’s role in elevating university standing and fostering UTM global citizens through diverse academic approaches. In summary, UTM’s participation at NAFSA 2025 significantly solidified its global presence and provided invaluable direction for future internationalization strategies.
About NAFSA: NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world’s largest non-profit association dedicated to international education and exchange. Its annual conference is the premier global event for international education professionals.
Prepared by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Ariffin Abu Hassan and Ahmad Hilman Borhan