KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 – Held alongside the 49th FIG/IHO/ICA International Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC49) Meeting, a strategic Tripartite Meeting between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Shandong University of Science and Technology (SDUST) and Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) marked a significant step toward establishing a premier regional alliance in the geospatial and hydrographic sector.

The meeting was officiated by the Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying (FABU), UTM. Prof. Sr Dr. Kherun Nita Ali, and attended by 30 distinguished academic leaders, researchers, and technical experts from the three institutions.

The UTM delegation from FABU was led by the Chairman of the Steering Committee for UTM Hydrography Programmes, Assoc. Prof. Sr Dr. Ami Hassan Md Din, while the SDUST delegation was headed by Dean of the College of Geodesy and Geomatics, Prof. Dr. Tu Rui.

Meanwhile, the delegation from ITB was led by the Head of the Business and Sustainable Fund Management Agency (BPUDL), Prof. Purbo Poerbandono.

The strategic meeting focused on strengthening international collaboration in academic development, research innovation, professional competency, and technological advancement within the hydrographic and geospatial sectors.

The initiative reflects a shared commitment among the three institutions to advance hydrographic surveying and nautical cartography education in line with rapidly evolving global industry demands and technological transformation.

One of the key highlights of the discussion was the proposed development of a joint curriculum framework aligned with the latest International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), and International Cartographic Association (ICA) IBSC competency standards.

The initiative aims to harmonise academic content, technical training, and professional learning outcomes across the participating institutions, enabling students to obtain internationally recognised competencies while enhancing professional mobility throughout the Asian region.

The proposed curriculum enhancement will integrate emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous marine systems, digital hydrography, satellite positioning, marine geospatial analytics, and advanced seafloor mapping technologies.

In addition to curriculum development, the alliance also explored collaborative initiatives involving joint research programmes, co-supervision of postgraduate students, staff and student mobility schemes, industrial training opportunities, and international knowledge exchange platforms. By leveraging the strengths and expertise of each institution, the partnership seeks to establish a dynamic regional “knowledge corridor” connecting Malaysia, China and Indonesia in the field of hydrographic surveying and geospatial technology.

The meeting further emphasised the importance of strengthening academia-industry-government collaboration to support sustainable maritime development, marine safety, offshore resource management, coastal resilience and digital transformation within the geospatial ecosystem. Through this partnership, the institutions aspire to produce future-ready graduates and researchers capable of addressing increasingly complex challenges in the global maritime and geospatial industries.

Co-authors: Prof. Dr. Zulkepli Majid and Sr Dr. Norhadija Darwin