UMPSA, Volkswagen Pekan strengthen industry ties through German Dual-Degree Programme

PEKAN, 1 April 2026 — A faculty delegation team led by Dean of the Faculty of Manufacturing and Mechatronic Engineering Technology (FTKPM), Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Profesor Ir. Ahmad Razlan Yusoff, paid an official visit to Volkswagen Pekan as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen industry-academia collaboration between the two institutions.

The visit, which took place from approximately 2:00 to 3:00 pm, was warmly received by Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Malaysia, Dr. Susanne Lehmann and Director of Volkswagen Pekan, Norhayati Othman. 

The one-hour engagement provided a valuable platform for discussion on current and future collaborative initiatives, particularly in the areas of student industrial training, academic projects, and talent development.

A key highlight of the visit was a presentation by student from the German Dual-Degree Programme (Mechatronics), Syed Muhammad Aiman Syed Mohd Zaki, who shared insights into projects conducted during a six-month industrial internship at Volkswagen Pekan. 

The presentation showcased the student’s hands-on experience in an industrially relevant environment, reflecting the effectiveness of the dual-degree structure in bridging academic knowledge with real-world engineering applications.

During the discussion, Volkswagen Pekan expressed strong interest in expanding collaboration under the internship programme, bachelor’s thesis supervision, and summer semester projects, underscoring the company’s commitment to nurturing future engineering talent. 

These initiatives are expected to further enhance the close partnership between Volkswagen Malaysia and UMPSA, particularly through FTKPM-led academic programmes.

The German Dual-Degree Programme stands out as a unique academic pathway, enabling students to graduate with two academic scrolls, one from Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, Germany and another from UMPSA.

In addition to a six-month industrial internship, students complete an academic mobility semester at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, gaining valuable international exposure and cross-cultural learning experiences.

The programme is further strengthened through the Flying Professor initiative, whereby FTKPM receives visiting professors from Germany twice annually, in February and September, to deliver specialised courses. 

This initiative ensures that the curriculum remains aligned with current global engineering practices and industrial standards.

The visit reaffirmed the shared vision between FTKPM and Volkswagen Pekan to produce industry-ready graduates through sustained collaboration, applied research, and experiential learning opportunities.

By: Laili Zulkepeli, Faculty of Manufacturing and Mechatronic Engineering Technology