UMPSA and NXU celebrate a decade of strategic synergy

KUALA LUMPUR, 3 June 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) and Ningxia University (NXU), China, celebrated a meaningful decade of academic collaboration with the 10th UMPSA-NXU Strategic Synergy Dinner held at Irama Dining, Kuala Lumpur.

The event was graced by the presence of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs), Professor Dato’ Ir. Ts. Dr Ahmad Ziad Sulaiman, who attended on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Yatimah Alias.

In his speech, he stated that the UMPSA-NXU relationship symbolises mutual trust, respect, and commitment to elevating academic excellence at the global level.

“The collaboration that began in 2013 as a result of the UMPSA Vice-Chancellor’s strategic visit to NXU led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 5 August 2014, and since then, our journey together has been filled with many meaningful achievements.

“One of the major accomplishments of this bilateral collaboration includes cross-border student mobility, with 159 NXU students participating in programmes at UMPSA and 113 UMPSA students undergoing mobility programmes at NXU’s School of Mechanical Engineering.

“In addition, there has been an exchange of academic staff, with three NXU lecturers visiting UMPSA and seven UMPSA lecturers going to NXU,” he said.

He added that research collaboration has also grown rapidly, resulting in 104 joint publications, conferences, and innovation-based projects.

One of the most notable achievements is the implementation of the dual-degree programme through the Sino-Foreign Cooperation Programme in the Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering Technology (Advanced Manufacturing) with Honours.

The event was also attended by key figures from both institutions, including the NXU Party Secretary, Professor Dr Li Xing, as well as senior management from both NXU and UMPSA.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr Yatimah Alias expressed deep appreciation for the continued support from the Ministries of Higher Education of Malaysia and China, which have played a crucial role in facilitating this collaboration.

She also conveyed hope that this partnership would continue to be strengthened and that more collaborative opportunities would emerge in the years to come, benefiting students, institutions, and both nations.

By: Naqiah Puaad, Centre for Corporate Communications
Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, UMPSA Press