Semarang, Indonesia — The Faculty of Engineering at Universitas Negeri Semarang (FT UNNES) and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Malaysia, strengthened their international academic collaboration through the signing of an Implementation Agreement (IA) during the closing ceremony of the Inbound Visiting Lecturer Program on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the FT UNNES Dean’s Office.
The signing formed part of a three-day academic visit held from October 26 to 28, 2026. The program featured three academics from UMPSA’s Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering Technology: Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Amir Abdul Razak, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Nasrul Hadi bin Johari, and Ts. Dr. Luqman Hakim Bin Ahmad Shah.
Throughout the program, FT UNNES and UMPSA engaged in a series of academic activities covering sustainable development, curriculum innovation, scientific research, and engineering technology. The activities included a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a collaborative dialogue on sustainable curriculum development, an AI-assisted scientific writing workshop, and a series of international public lectures for engineering students.
These activities brought together academics from both institutions to exchange knowledge, experiences, and perspectives on contemporary issues in engineering education and research. The interactions also provided opportunities to explore common academic interests and potential areas for future collaboration.
The Implementation Agreement represents an important step in strengthening institutional cooperation at the implementation level. The agreement is expected to provide a framework for joint academic activities in accordance with the scope and commitments established by the participating institutions.
For FT UNNES, collaboration with international higher education institutions plays a significant role in expanding academic networks and creating opportunities for faculty members and students to participate in international academic activities. Such partnerships may also support the development of collaborative initiatives in education, research, and knowledge exchange.
The Inbound Visiting Lecturer Program demonstrates the value of academic partnerships that extend beyond institutional visits. By combining academic discussions, faculty development activities, public lectures, and formal cooperation initiatives, the program provides a foundation for continued engagement between FT UNNES and UMPSA.
Through this collaboration, both institutions have opportunities to strengthen their academic relationship and explore further initiatives that contribute to institutional development and mutual academic benefit.
The initiative is closely aligned with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), particularly through international cooperation and knowledge sharing between higher education institutions. It also supports the broader objectives of SDG 4 (Quality Education) by encouraging academic collaboration and the exchange of educational expertise.
