JOHOR BAHRU, Sept 24 — Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) welcomed a delegation from the Rizhao Municipal Committee and Shandong Vocational and Technical University of International Studies (SWUT), China, for the Signing of a Letter of Collaboration (LoC) held at Bilik Mesyuarat Utama, Sultan Ibrahim Chancellery Building. The ceremony opened with welcoming remarks by Professor Ts. Dr. Intan Zaurah Mat Darus, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International), who highlighted UTM’s commitment to meaningful global partnerships that expand opportunities for students and staff while promoting cross-cultural understanding. This was followed by an address by Li Zaiwu, who emphasised the importance of strengthening educational cooperation between Rizhao and Malaysia, and a speech by Bai Wenhui, who shared his vision for sustainable collaboration between SWUT and UTM.
The highlight of the programme was the formal signing of the LoC by Professor Ts. Dr. Intan Zaurah on behalf of UTM and Bai Wenhui on behalf of SWUT. The signing was witnessed by senior representatives from both institutions, symbolising a shared commitment to fostering international academic cooperation. Following the signing, both parties exchanged signed documents and presented souvenirs as tokens of appreciation and goodwill.
Following the signing, both parties exchanged signed documents and moved on to the presentation of souvenirs. As a token of appreciation, UTM presented souvenirs to the SWUT and Rizhao delegation, while the guests from China reciprocated with souvenirs for UTM. These exchanges reflected the friendship and goodwill between both institutions.
The event concluded with a group photo session, capturing the spirit of friendship and partnership between UTM and SWUT. Through this collaboration, UTM and SWUT will work together on initiatives covering student mobility, faculty development, joint research, and cultural exchange. The partnership is expected to enhance opportunities for both staff and students, enrich collaborative research, and deepen Malaysia–China educational relations in line with UTM’s internationalisation agenda under Envision 2025 and ASCEND 2030.
This LoC signing builds on the strong partnership between UTM and SWUT, following previous joint initiatives such as the Global Knowledge Exchange at EduConnect 2024 and the International Education Training Programme with Faculty of Science Social and Humanities (FSSH) UTM. Together, these programmes demonstrate the growing depth of academic and cultural cooperation between the two institutions.
Photo credit: Noorefendy Kassim, Photographer of Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST), UTM