JOHOR BAHRU, July 9 – The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) recently had the honour of hosting Professor Dr. Alpaslan Hamdi, a distinguished academic from the Faculty of Humanities at Istanbul Medeniyet University in Turkey. This visit marked a significant step forward in fostering global academic collaboration.
The visit was led by Professor Dr. Siti Aisyah Panatik, Deputy Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at FSSH, and is part of the faculty’s broader internationalisation efforts aligned with the UTM Global Strategy.
A key highlight of the programme was a courtesy call to the newly appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and International Affairs, Professor Dr. Intan Zaurah Mohd Darus, at her office. This meeting served as an important platform to introduce Professor Dr. Alpaslan and discuss potential institutional collaborations, particularly under the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UTM and Istanbul Medeniyet University.
Following the courtesy visit, Professor Dr. Alpaslan engaged in a collaborative dialogue session at FSSH, attended by faculty members and researchers. The discussion focused on potential joint initiatives in research, academic mobility, and international conferences. Both parties expressed a strong interest in exploring dual-degree programs and shared platforms for multidisciplinary collaboration, especially within the humanities and social sciences.
Additionally, Professor Dr. Alpaslan conducted a sharing session, offering insights on best practices in academic governance, recent higher education reforms in Turkey, and strategies for enhancing university-industry-community engagement.
As part of the cultural and academic exposure, the delegation toured the PSZ Library Gallery, one of UTM’s iconic knowledge hubs that showcases the university’s intellectual heritage and commitment to holistic education. To conclude the visit, FSSH presented Professor Dr. Alpaslan with a token of appreciation, symbolising friendship, mutual respect, and a shared vision for global academic excellence.
This visit not only reinforces the partnership between UTM and Istanbul Medeniyet University but also exemplifies FSSH’s commitment to advancing global scholarship, institutional engagement, and intercultural dialogue as part of its strategic priorities.
