TOKYO, July 25 – Following their successful participation at the Osaka Expo 2025 under the Malaysia Pavilion, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) through the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) continued its international mission by traveling to Tokyo for a series of academic and industrial engagements. From 25–30 July 2025, a delegation led by UTM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, accompanied by Prof. Ts. Dr. Ali Selamat, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni), Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Nurulakmar Abu Hussain, Dean of MJIIT, and staff from MJIIT, conducted strategic visits to Japanese universities and industries, and participated in the 27th Japanese University Consortium (JUC) Meeting.
Strengthening Strategic Ties at the 27th JUC Meeting: Held on 25 July 2025 and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the 27th JUC Meeting brought together representatives from 31 Japanese universities, JICA officials, and UTM leadership. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Akira Taguchi, Chairman of JUC, with support from AOKI Takashi of the Ministry.
In his opening speech, Prof. Dr. Mohd Shafry emphasized UTM’s commitment to expanding Malaysia–Japan collaboration under the MJIIT 2.0 initiative, envisioning MJIIT as a regional hub for industrial-academic partnerships across ASEAN. He also highlighted the operationalization of the Malaysia-Japan Linkage (MJL) Office, supported by JICA, which aims to serve as a key platform for university–industry–government collaboration and is aligned with Malaysia’s national education strategy under the Ministry of Higher Education.
Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Nurulakmar Abu Hussain presented the MJIIT Future Vision and Strategic Plan (2024–2030), focusing on expanding the educational value chain through ASEAN-wide initiatives, such as joint research, co-teaching, collaborative seminars, and the Glocal Eminence Course which combines academic summer schools and edu-tourism programs.
Academic Engagements with Key Japanese Partners: As part of the visit, the delegation held official meetings with two key JUC university partners. At Meiji University (25 July 2025), the team met Prof. Masahiko Horie, currently an Adjunct Professor at MJIIT, and visited the UTM Japan Satellite Office at Surugadai Campus to discuss academic program expansion, mobility opportunities, and operational enhancements. On 27 July 2025, MJIIT visited Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT). The visit was hosted by Prof. Yoshihisa Hirota and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azham Zulkharnain, where the team had the pleasure of meeting Nur Adira Aisyah, a 3rd-year Chemical Process Engineering student undergoing industrial training in Dr. Azham’s Molecular Microbiology Laboratory. The visit included a lab tour and discussions on potential research and academic collaboration.
Alumni Engagement in Tokyo: A casual MJIIT Alumni Coffee Session was held at Kotobuki Café near Asakusa Station. The session was attended by seven MJIIT alumni currently working in Japan and Prof. Dr. Masafumi Goto, former Professor at MJIIT. This informal gathering helped strengthen personal bonds and professional networks among alumni. Future alumni sessions are planned in Tokyo and other prefectures as part of the growing MJIIT Alumni Japan Chapter.
Strengthening Industrial Linkages:The delegation also visited three Japanese industry partners, including NOK Fujisawajigyo Shonan R&D Center. There, they met three MJIIT students from the MPE, ESE, and CHEE programs who are currently undergoing industrial training. The visit featured a guided laboratory tour and productive discussions on expanding the Global Talent Programme, co-supervised research opportunities, and enriching student internship experiences.
This Tokyo engagement following the Osaka Expo 2025 marks a significant milestone for UTM-MJIIT in advancing international collaboration. Through high-level academic meetings, industry visits, and alumni networking, the delegation strengthened Malaysia–Japan ties and reaffirmed UTM-MJIIT’s commitment to becoming a regional leader in engineering education, research, and innovation. The initiatives discussed during the visit are expected to drive impactful collaborations across ASEAN in alignment with the strategic vision of MJIIT 2.0.