Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has continued to strengthen its position as a globally engaged university in line with the UMT Strategic Planning agenda, which emphasises internationalisation, research excellence, talent development and sustainable impact. Strategic international partnership have served as a key enabler in achieving these priorities by enhancing academic quality, research collaboration, global visibility and graduate employability.
Aligned with UMT’s strategic thrusts, partnership with Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), the European Union (EU) and ASEAN have been identified as major drivers of institutional growth, international relevance and long-term sustainability.
Partnership within ASEAN
As part of its strategic commitment to regional engagement and societal impact, UMT places strong emphasis on collaboration within the ASEAN region. Partnerships with ASEAN universities have supported student mobility, short-term academic programmes, joint courses and collaborative research that has addressed shared regional challenges.
ASEAN countries have represented UMT’s largest share of international collaborations, accounting for more than 50% of UMT’s total international partnerships. This highlights UMT’s strong regional presence and its strategic positioning as a leading higher education institution within Southeast Asia, particularly in areas related to marine resources, climate change, coastal communities, and sustainable development.
To further strengthen ASEAN and APAC collaborations, UMT has identified 10 active MoUs with institutions across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to be strategically mobilised through high-impact activities that contribute directly to institutional Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and enhance UMT’s international visibility. In support of this effort, five academic members have been appointed as Persons-in-Charge (PICs) to spearhead the task of identifying, developing, and advancing new MoUs with leading institutions across the APAC region.
This structured and targeted approach ensures that ASEAN and APAC collaborations are outcome-driven, sustainable, and fully aligned with UMT’s strategic planning framework.