UMPSA sends 12 Industrial Biotechnology students to Kazakhstan under Dual Degree Programme

SEPANG, 22 September 2026 – Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) has sent 12 students to Kazakhstan to continue their studies under its Dual Degree Programme with Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU).

The students, who are pursuing the Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Biotechnology with Honours, will spend one academic year at KazNARU as part of the programme.

A send-off ceremony was held on 22 September 2026 and attended by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Professor Ts. Dr. Kamal Yusoh, Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology (FIST), Associate Professor Dr. Aizi Nor Mazila Ramli, Director of the Centre for Academic Collaboration and Mobility (CACM), Associate Professor Dr. Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi and Ms. Nor Ilma Mustafa Kamal from CACM.

Professor Ts. Dr. Kamal said the increase in student participation reflected the positive development of the collaboration between UMPSA and KazNARU.

“We started with two UMPSA students in the first cohort, and this year we are sending 12 students to Kazakhstan. 

“This growth is encouraging and shows that more of our students are willing to take up international academic opportunities as part of their studies,” he said.

He added that spending a year at KazNARU would give the students the opportunity to experience a different academic environment while developing greater independence, adaptability and confidence.

“We hope they will make full use of this opportunity, not only to strengthen their academic knowledge but also to build international networks and gain experiences that will prepare them for their future careers,” he said.

The UMPSA–KazNARU Dual Degree Programme has also recorded encouraging growth in two-way student participation. 

The first cohort involved two UMPSA students studying at KazNARU and two KazNARU students studying at UMPSA. 

For the second cohort, the number of UMPSA students pursuing their studies in Kazakhstan has increased to 12, while five KazNARU students are currently studying at UMPSA.

The increase reflects the strengthening academic partnership between the two universities and their shared commitment to providing students with structured international study opportunities.

Through the programme, students are exposed to different approaches to teaching, learning and research while gaining a broader understanding of how industrial biotechnology is applied in an international context.

The year-long experience also provides students with the opportunity to develop skills beyond the classroom, including cross-cultural communication, problem-solving and the ability to adapt to different academic and social environments.

Beyond academic exposure, the students will have the opportunity to experience Kazakhstan’s culture, interact with students and researchers from different backgrounds, and build networks that may support their future academic and professional development.

The presence of KazNARU students at UMPSA also adds an important reciprocal dimension to the partnership, creating greater interaction between students from Malaysia and Kazakhstan and contributing to a more international learning environment on campus.

Moving forward, UMPSA and KazNARU aim to further strengthen the Dual Degree Programme by exploring additional funding and sponsorship opportunities to support greater student participation.

This includes potential support from government agencies, industry partners and other funding bodies to help reduce the financial burden of studying abroad and make the programme more accessible to eligible students.

Both universities are also exploring the possibility of expanding the collaboration to the postgraduate level, alongside deeper academic and research engagement.

The Dual Degree Programme is among UMPSA’s international academic initiatives aimed at providing students with broader learning opportunities through strategic partnerships with overseas institutions.

Through collaborations such as this, UMPSA continues to strengthen international academic pathways that give students access to global learning experiences while building longer-term academic and research links with partner universities.

By: Associate Professor Dr. Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi, Nur Ezzati Mohd Nasir and Nor Ilma Mustafa Kamal, Centre for Academic Collaboration & Mobility