UMPSA strengthens its European connections through CEJI 2025 and visits to Czech Republic & Slovakia

BRNO AND BRATISLAVA, 1 December 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) continued to advance its global presence through participation in the Central European Joint Infoday (CEJI) 2025 and a series of official visits to leading universities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 

UMPSA was represented by Director of the Centre for Global Engagement, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Herma Dina Setiabudi, who highlighted the university’s strengths and explored new opportunities for international mobility, academic cooperation and research collaboration.

CEJI 2025 is a by-invitation regional Erasmus+ training seminar organised by the National Agencies of Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. 

The seminar focuses on the international dimension of Erasmus+, bringing together higher education institutions preparing for the 2026 call. 

Participants had the opportunity to learn about Erasmus Mundus, Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) and Jean Monnet opportunities, while engaging in structured networking with European and global partners. 

Malaysia’s participation was coordinated by the Erasmus National Focal Point (ENFP) for Malaysia, Associate Professor Dr. Ariffin Abu Hassan.

Under his leadership, the Malaysian delegation actively engaged with institutions across Central Europe and demonstrated Malaysia’s growing interest in Erasmus+ collaboration.

Representatives from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), UMPSA, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) took part in thematic workshops, roundtable discussions and one-to-one institutional meetings, providing an open platform for idea exchange. 

The CEJI programme enabled UMPSA to connect with Masaryk University, Charles University, the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Universidad de Manizales (Colombia), the University of Applied Science Ferizaj (Kosovo) and several Austrian institutions. Conversations focused on shared priorities such as green and digital skills, sustainable energy, advanced materials, hydrogen technology and mobility engagement, which are closely aligned with UMPSA’s academic strengths and Malaysia’s broader national agenda.

CEJI 2025 also created opportunities for UMPSA to identify strong European partners for future Erasmus+ CBHE and EMJM proposals. 

Sustainable energy, digital innovation, engineering technology and advanced materials emerged as key themes with high potential for joint project development.

As part of the CEJI programme, UMPSA visited Masaryk University on 1 December. 

Ranked among the world’s top 500 universities, Masaryk hosted the delegation through Ing. Violeta Osouchová, Director of the Centre for International Cooperation, together with representatives from several faculties. 

The discussion revealed strong alignment particularly in COIL projects, Global Classroom modules, micro-credentials, mobility and joint postgraduate supervision.

A highlight of the visit was Masaryk University’s presentation of the Czech Antarctic Station, the only Antarctic station operated by a Czech public university. 

The facility opened new possibilities for UMPSA researchers, especially in environmental science, climate studies and materials performance under extreme conditions. 

These potential collaborations could be further supported by Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation grants, offering Malaysian researchers access to unique research environments.

On 3 December, UMPSA visited Brno University of Technology (BUT), where discussions were led by Ing. Mariana Tesarová. 

As an engineering-focused institution ranked among the top 500 globally and highly recognised in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (placing 201-250), BUT demonstrated strong compatibility with UMPSA’s strengths in electrical engineering, electronics, materials engineering and smart manufacturing. 

Both universities expressed interest in mobility programmes, COIL initiatives, joint summer schools and exploring long-term pathways such as dual-degree collaboration.
 

The programme concluded with a visit to the Slovak University of Technology (STU) in Bratislava. Vice-Rector Katarína Smatanová introduced STU’s profile as one of Slovakia’s top engineering universities, with particular strengths in mechanical, automotive and process engineering. 

Discussions highlighted strong alignment with UMPSA’s engineering programmes and both institutions expressed interest in joint research, engineering education initiatives, student and staff mobility and collaborative academic projects. 

The meeting ended with a shared commitment to continue building a structured collaboration plan for 2026.

Across all engagements, UMPSA delivered a clear message that the university is committed to deepening its global partnerships and creating meaningful opportunities for its students, researchers and academic staff. 

The CEJI 2025 mission and the visits to Czech Republic and Slovakia not only strengthened existing ties but also opened new pathways for collaborative research, mobility and Erasmus+ initiatives including CBHE and EMJM.

UMPSA’s participation in CEJI 2025 reflects its aspiration to become a globally connected technical university with strong European linkages. 

UMPSA looks forward to building on the positive outcomes of this visit and continuing to expand long-term partnerships across Europe and beyond.

By: Associate Professor Dr. Herma Dina Setiabudi and Nur Ezzati Mohd Nasir, Centre for Global Engagement