UMPSA and MARA strengthen collaboration with a focus on TVET Integration Model Studies

PEKAN, 18 July 2025 – The recent visit by a delegation from Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), led by its Deputy Director-General (Education), Ir. Dr. Mahzan Teh, to Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions, particularly in the area of student funding and TVET integration.

The delegation met with the Vice-Chancellor of UMPSA, Professor Dr. Yatimah Alias, to explore potential initiatives that would benefit both parties.

Accompanying Ir. Dr. Mahzan were several senior MARA officers, including the Director of the Skills and Technical Division, Ir. Nuriman Yusoff; Deputy Director I (Studies), Rosnani Mohd Rosdi; Acting Director II (Assessment and Certification), Asmar Suid; Deputy Director (Development and Research), Iswadi Ahmad@Hasan; and Director of MARA Pahang, Soffian Mustafa.

According to Professor Dr. Yatimah, the meeting served as a platform to discuss a wide range of collaborative efforts. 

These included opportunities for MARA staff to pursue postgraduate studies, the offering of UMPSA’s dual degree programmes, pathways for graduates of TVET Tahfiz, and enrolment into the Malaysian Skills Diploma (DKM) programmes.

She stated that this meeting marked the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership aimed at developing highly skilled human capital. 

This collaboration also supports the national agenda to position TVET education as a key driver for the country's future development.

In addition, the discussion included potential matching scholarship packages for students enrolled in UMPSA’s dual degree programmes. 

The collaboration also explored the Triple Helix model, which involves the university, industry, and government working together to enhance graduate employability, including offering competitive, guaranteed salaries for graduates.

Ir. Dr. Mahzan expressed MARA’s strong support for the initiative and affirmed that MARA has implemented various programmes to finance selected Bumiputera students to pursue studies at top local and international institutions.

He hoped that the collaboration with UMPSA would lead to the establishment of a more systematic academic pathway for TVETMARA graduates to continue their studies at the diploma and degree levels.

TVETMARA encompasses several key institutions under MARA, such as GIATMARA, MARA Skills Institutes (IKM), MARA Higher Skills Colleges (KKTM), and the Malaysia-Japan Industrial Institute (MJII), all of which contribute to the development of skilled talent for the country.

According to Ir. Dr. Mahzan, MARA aims to ensure that TVETMARA students are not only given the opportunity to pursue higher education but are also equipped with the means to secure employment and to commercialise their innovations.

He explained that the proposed academic pathway will include credit mapping, recognition of prior learning and skills, and the implementation of work-based learning programmes, to ensure that the transition from TVET to higher education is seamless and effective.

Several key figures from UMPSA also attended the meeting, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Professor Dato’ Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Ziad Sulaiman; Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Strategic and Corporate), Professor Ts. Dr. Kamal Yusoh; Senior Director of Strategy and Academic Development, Professor Ts. Dr. Che Ku Mohammad Faizal Che Ku Yahya; and Director of the Advanced TVET Centre, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Shahrir Mohd Sani.

Other attendees included the Director of the Centre for Academic Planning and Development, Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Ruzaimi Mat Rejab; the Director of the Centre for Marketing and Academic Intake, Zainal Bahari; the Senior Manager of JHEAA, Abd Rahman Haji Safie; and the Senior Director of the Centre for Academic Management, Ernie Nurazlin Lizam.

UMPSA is currently the only public university in Malaysia that offers eleven dual degree programmes in collaboration with strategic global partners. These partners include the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) and Technische Hochschule Mannheim (THM) in Germany; Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) and Tianjin University in China; Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU) in Kazakhstan; and Hanyang University Erica Campus in South Korea.

By: Mimi Rabita Abd Wahit,Centre for Corporate Communications

Translation by: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, UMPSA Career Centre (UMPSACC)