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In an effort to strengthen ties with its international alumni, 鶹Ƶ (UMS), through its Alumni Centre, organized an informal gathering with alumni from Timor-Leste in Dili recently.

The event brought together graduates from various academic years, marking a reunion of those who have been part of UMS since it first welcomed students from Timor-Leste in 2015.

Director of UMS Alumni Centre, Dr. Arif Kamisan Pusiran, highlighted that the gathering served as a platform to update alumni information in the university’s database.

“This gathering also provided an opportunity for alumni to reconnect with the university community as we celebrate UMS’ 30th anniversary this year.

“A total of 30 UMS alumni from Timor-Leste attended the event, which was held at Hotel Esplanada. For many of them, this marked their first encounter with their alma mater since completing their studies,” he said.

UMS first received 15 students from Timor-Leste in 2015, who enrolled in the Diploma in Oil and Gas program under the Faculty of Engineering.

The gathering was also attended by Malaysia’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Amarjit Singh Sarjit Singh; Deputy Dean (Academic and International) of the Centre for Postgraduate Studies, Associate Professor Dr. Asmahani Awang; Deputy Director of UMS Outreach Centre (Finance), Zallifah Shadan; and Chief Administrator of UMS Alumni Centre, Syed Mahyuddin Syed Satri.

鶹Ƶ (UMS) acknowledges the invaluable contribution of the media in helping to disseminate information about the university’s activities and programs.

UMS Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Raman Noordin stated that the university’s management will continue to strengthen its existing relationship with the media, particularly through sports and recreational activities that foster closer ties between media personnel and UMS staff.

He emphasized that this strong relationship with the media helps in resolving issues by spreading relevant information effectively.

Dr. Raman made the comments during a friendly football match between the Sabah Journalist Association (SJA) and UMS management at the UMS Stadiumrecently.

Also present at the event was the Director of UMS Corporate Communications Centre, Dr. Jakaria Dasan.

鶹Ƶ (UMS) has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tijarah Holding Ltd, a shariah-compliant blockchain development institution, to equip students with knowledge in financial technology (fintech), particularly blockchain.

The MoU was signed in a ceremony at the UMS Chancellery Building earlier today.

UMS Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Kasim Hj. Mansor, signed on behalf of the university, while Tijarah Holding Ltd was represented by its CEO, John Joseph Pellegrini.

During the ceremony, Prof. Kasim emphasized the rapid growth of fintech in Malaysia, driven by increasing demand from the tech-savvy Islamic majority population.

“Industry reports indicate robust growth in Malaysia’s fintech landscape, with over 300 fintech companies operating in various categories such as e-wallets, payments, lending, wealthtech, insurtech, and blockchain or cryptocurrency,” he stated.

He highlighted the expanding use of blockchain across industries and its potential to benefit Islamic financial institutions, aligning with zakat objectives.

Research on the potential of blockchain technology in enhancing Islamic financial management systems is growing. However, he noted a lack of focus on integrating this technology into Islamic financial management to make it functional.

“Much research focuses on countries like Indonesia. While Malaysia has seen growth in this area, in-depth studies remain limited.

“The Islamic finance sector in Malaysia still faces challenges, such as a lack of data on state-level websites and ineffective communication on social media platforms.

“This indicates the need for a better Islamic financial management system in Malaysia for user convenience,” he added.

Prof. Kasim also stressed the importance of human capital development to support fintech growth.

“In response, UMS is taking proactive steps by signing this MoU to contribute to human resource development in line with the university’s role as a higher education institution in Sabah.

“Collaboration with industry players allows universities to expose students to current practices and understanding in blockchain and fintech,” he said.

The ceremony was attended by Prof. Dato’ Dr. Jayles Yeoh, Tijarah Holding’s Head of Educational Development; UMS Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student and Alumni Affairs, Prof. Madya Dr. Raman Noordin; UMS Registrar, Luqman Ridha Anwar; UMS Treasurer, Badrul Hisham Ismail; Dean of the Faculty of International Finance Labuan, Prof. Madya Dr. Geoffrey Harvey Tanakinjal; and Tijarah Holding’s Business Development Executive, Shahirah Sundu.

鶹Ƶ (UMS) has launched a Strategic Business Unit (SBU) to support financial sustainability initiatives and act as a catalyst for innovative income-generating ideas.

UMS Vice-Chancellor, Professor Datuk Dr. Kasim Mansor, explained that the SBU is a revenue-generation concept and a "game-changer" highlighted in the UMS Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

“This initiative represents a proactive step by UMS to intensify investment and revenue-generation activities across its Responsibility Centers (PTJ),” he stated.

The establishment of the SBU aligns with the government's directive for public universities (UA) to generate their own income in response to the phased reduction of annual management budget allocations for public universities.

“The SBU also aims to promote UMS’s products, services, and expertise, enhancing the university’s visibility locally and internationally,” Dr. Kasim added.

He emphasized that the selection of SBU units was based on their track record of revenue generation and the potential of these PTJs to contribute through competitive market activities, projects, or services.

“I am confident that with comprehensive policies, guidelines, and effective monitoring mechanisms, the SBU will meet its targets and provide returns on UMS's investments,” he remarked during the launch ceremony for the SBU.

At the event, six PTJs were designated as SBUs:

  1. Pusat Luar UMS (PLUMS)
  2. Pusat Minda Lestari (PML)
  3. Penerbit UMS
  4. Inkubator Institut Penyelidikan Marin Borneo (IPMB)
  5. Galeri Azman Hashim UMS (GAH-UMS)
  6. Pusat Pengurusan EcoFarm

The event was attended by UMS Treasurer Badrul Hisham Ismail and Director of the Investment, Endowment, and Waqf Center (CIEW), Dr. Borhan Sareya Abdullah.

The Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition (FSMP) at 鶹Ƶ (UMS) is inviting science stream students to pursue studies in food science and nutrition at the university.

FSMP offers four Bachelor’s degree programs with honors, specializing inFood Service (UH6541001),Food Science and Nutrition (UH6541002),Nutrition (UH6541003), andFood Technology (UH6541004)

Dean of FSMP, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Hasmadi Mamat, highlighted that all four programs are accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), with two receiving additional recognitions.

“The Nutrition program (UH6541003) is accredited by the Malaysian Allied Health Professions Council (MAHPC), while the Food Science and Nutrition program (UH6541002) received international recognition from the International Food Technologist (IFT) in December 2023,” he explained.

Dr. Hasmadi shared these details during an academic promotion event at Labuan Matriculation College (KML) recently.

The program aimed to introduce and promote FSMP's undergraduate offerings while inspiring matriculation students to explore food science and nutrition as a career path.

Director of KML, Mohd. Mahyuddin Mohd. Noordin, expressed gratitude for the initiative, stating that it provided valuable exposure to KML students.

“This promotion program not only enhances students' understanding of academic and career opportunities in food science and nutrition but also motivates them to prepare for university life.

“We hope such programs will continue in the future, and KML looks forward to exploring more collaboration opportunities with FSMP,” he said.

The event saw the participation of 1,260 students, who were given insights into academic programs, career prospects, scholarship opportunities, and student activities at FSMP through detailed briefings by program heads.

Also present were FSMP Deputy Dean of Academic and International Affairs, Associate Professor Dr. Wolyna Pindi, and KML Head of Student Management, Syahmun Yahya.