UMPSA expands access to higher education by opening Off-Campus Learning Centre

PULAU PINANG, 22 May 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) continues to move forward in strengthening strategic networks and expanding the reach of the country’s higher education through its wholly owned subsidiary, UMPSA Advanced, with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with The Ship Campus in Pulau Pinang recently.

The agreement marks the official opening of UMPSA’s off-campus learning centre or offshore campus, which houses the UMPSA Foundation Centre in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia.

The establishment of this campus is also seen as one of the strategic initiatives to expand access to quality higher education and to provide more flexible learning opportunities for students from the northern region.

The MoA signing ceremony was officiated by Dr Ahmad Johari Mohamad, Chief Executive Officer of UMPSA Advanced, and Jasmon Lim, Chief Operating Officer of The Ship Campus.

Also present at the event was UMPSA’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs), Professor Dato’ Ir. Ts. Dr Ahmad Ziad Sulaiman, representing UMPSA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Yatimah Alias.

Also witnessing the ceremony was the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of PKT Logistics Group, Dato’ Seri (Dr) Michael Tio.

In his speech, Professor Dato’ Ir. Ts. Dr Ahmad Ziad said that this collaboration is not merely a strategic step but also symbolic of UMPSA’s aspiration to make higher education more inclusive and responsive to industry needs.

“The Offshore Campus initiative at The Ship Campus is one of the strategic efforts to strengthen UMPSA’s visibility in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia and to broaden access to foundation and higher education programmes so that more students have the opportunity to pursue their studies.

“This collaboration also creates opportunities to run foundation programmes in a location that is not only strategically located geographically but also equipped with modern facilities and the latest educational technology, which directly supports the agenda of empowering higher education that is value-based, technology-driven, and focused on graduate employability,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr Yatimah also extended her deepest appreciation to the management of The Ship Campus for their willingness and commitment to establishing a partnership believed to bring long-term benefits to both institutions.

According to her, this collaboration has opened a new chapter for students, academia, and the industry as a whole.

“With the signing of this MoA, UMPSA further strengthens its role as a higher education institution that is technical in nature and based on technology and innovation, in line with the aspiration to produce holistic, entrepreneurial, and globally competitive graduates.

“It will also lead to resource and expertise sharing in the fields of academia, technology, student development, and industry exposure,” she said.

UMPSA offers ten dual degree programmes strategically through partnerships with five leading higher education institutions worldwide.

Among its collaborative partners are Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) and Mannheim University of Applied Sciences (HMA) in Germany, Tianjin University and Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) in China, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University in Kazakhstan, and the latest with Hanyang University Erica Campus in South Korea.

Also present at the event were 43 UMPSA students currently participating in the Competency-Based Tourism programme, organised by IntellecTours, the edutourism arm of UMPSA Advanced, aimed at enriching their learning experience.

For more information about the study programmes, visit https://study.umpsa.edu.my and https://direct-intake.umpsa.edu.my (for direct university admission) for the latest updates on entry requirements, programme structure, and offered benefits.

By: Naqiah Puaad, Centre for Corporate Communications

Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, UMPSA Press