TOKYO, Aug 23 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) strengthened its global alumni presence in Japan through the UTM Alumni Global Connect 2026: An Evening with the Vice-Chancellor, bringing together a diverse community of alumni, professionals, academics and students at Kudan-Kaikan Terrace in Tokyo.
The gathering welcomed 42 participants, reflecting both the diversity and reach of the UTM community in Japan. Participants represented Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Yemen and Uganda, and included established professionals working in Japan, members of academia and students currently pursuing their studies in the country.
More than simply an alumni gathering, the programme demonstrated the potential of UTM’s international alumni community to become a strategic network connecting the University with Japanese universities, industries and professional communities.
The event was led by UTM Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ts. Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, who emphasised that the University’s impact extends far beyond its campuses.
“A university’s impact is not measured only by what happens on its campus, but by what its graduates contribute to the world.”
The Vice-Chancellor highlighted that UTM currently has 257,881 alumni worldwide, including 14,468 international alumni. Professional data has also identified approximately 214 UTM alumni and professionals currently working or studying in Japan, demonstrating the potential of a growing UTM network in the country.
Alumni as the Human Bridge between UTM and Japan
Japan has long held a significant place in UTM’s internationalisation journey, particularly through the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), which has strengthened Malaysia-Japan collaboration in education, engineering, technology, research and innovation.
However, the message emerging from Tokyo was clear: institutional partnerships create the platform, but people sustain the relationship.
Describing MJIIT as an institutional bridge between UTM and Japan, the Vice-Chancellor positioned UTM alumni as its “human bridge” — individuals whose professional knowledge, experience and networks can connect UTM with Japanese universities, industries and organisations.
This was particularly evident in the composition of the Tokyo gathering itself.
Within one room were alumni at different stages of their journeys — experienced professionals building careers in Japan, academics contributing to knowledge and research, and students preparing to become the next generation of globally connected UTM alumni.
Their different nationalities and professional backgrounds also reflected an increasingly international UTM community: one that is connected not merely by geography or nationality, but by a shared relationship with the University.
Moving from Connection to Collaboration
The significance of UTM Alumni Global Connect lies not simply in reconnecting alumni, but in asking a more important question: What can these connections achieve?
The Vice-Chancellor called upon alumni in Japan to mentor students and younger alumni, facilitate internships and career opportunities, connect UTM with Japanese industries and universities, collaborate with UTM researchers and help locate and reconnect other alumni throughout Japan.
The approach supports UTM ASCEND 2030, where global partnerships, industry collaboration, innovation and international visibility are integral to strengthening the University’s impact and standing.
It also represents a shift in how UTM views its global alumni.
Rather than seeing alumni simply as former students to be periodically re-engaged, the University is positioning them as strategic partners, ambassadors, mentors and connectors who can contribute directly to UTM’s internationalisation, talent development, employability, research collaboration and global reputation.
As the Vice-Chancellor reminded participants:
“One introduction can begin a collaboration. One connection can create an opportunity. One opportunity can change a student’s future.”
Towards a Stronger UTM Alumni Network in Japan
The Tokyo gathering also comes at an important moment as UTM prepares to celebrate its 55th anniversary in 2027.
While the anniversary will commemorate more than five decades of education, research and contribution to society, the Vice-Chancellor stressed that UTM’s true legacy ultimately lives through its people — particularly the generations of alumni carrying the University’s name across Malaysia and around the world.
For UTM, therefore, the 42 participants gathered in Tokyo represent something much larger than the attendance figure itself.
They represent the foundation of a stronger UTM network in Japan.
A network capable of connecting senior professionals with younger graduates; connecting students with mentors and career opportunities; connecting researchers with collaborators; and connecting UTM with Japanese industry, universities and institutions.
The ambition following Tokyo is to continue identifying and connecting UTM alumni throughout Japan and transform this community into an active and sustainable network capable of generating measurable opportunities and impact.
This is the larger purpose of UTM Alumni Global Connect 2026 — moving from connection to collaboration, and from collaboration to impact.
As UTM continues its journey towards ASCEND 2030, its alumni will increasingly become part of how the University tells its story to the world.
They may live thousands of kilometres from Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, but their achievements continue to shape how UTM is seen internationally.
UTM shaped their journey. Today, their journey is helping shape the future of UTM.
