| Universiti Putra Malaysia

ASAIHL’s Blue Ocean Strategy to enhance inter-university co-operation

By Azman Zakaria



ISFAHAN (IRAN), May 23  -- The Association of Southeast Asia Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL) has implemented the Blue Ocean Strategy to encourage and strengthen cooperation between all universities in the world, its president of the board of trustees, Prof. Dato’ Dr Mohd Fauzi Ramlan said.

Iran news agency, IRNA, was quoted as saying that the strategy was executed through sharing of knowledge and expertise between member countries during the 59th 2015 ASAIHL conference in May 23.

Knowledge development through regional and international cooperation was among some pertinent issues in higher education, he said, adding that joint researches were also being carried out to enhance co-operation.



The theme of the conference “International and Regional Collaboration in Research, Curriculum and Student Experience” was a reflection of the importance of global training at this present time.

Prof Dato’ Dr Mohd Fauzi, who is also Universiti Putra Malaysia Vice-Chancellor, said regional and international cooperation could assist universities in facing new challenges in the education system.

One of the utmost objectives of higher learning, he said, was to produce balanced and highly spirited individuals who are also informative and responsible and able to make good and wise management decisions.

University students, he said, should be sensitive to new developments, motivated and possess soft skills to enable them to face and subsequently, resolve all problems.



He also said training provided a long-term impetus to the society and developing nations through quality human capital, noting that training should not be just a trial-and-error process but that it should be capable of enhancing the quality of human capital.

A total of 97 ASAIHL member universities, some 100 deputy rectors and diplomats attended the three-day conference, themed "Towards 2020: International and Regional Collaboration in Research, Curriculum and Student Experience

Some of the topics of discussions included collaboration in research, sharing and transfer of information and investment, joint courses, exchange of students, currency issues and monitoring of quality higher education.

ASAIHL which was set up in 1956 on the initiative of eight universities in Southeast Asia in Bangkok,  is a non-profitable organization aimed at assisting members to form a regional identity, apart from achieving mutual undertakings in the areas of teaching, research and public services.

Meanwhile, the Azad News Agency (ANA) reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be the host for the 2017 conference to be held in Dubai.

This was confirmed by Azad Islamic University president in Isfahan, Dr. Hamid Mirzadeh who said that UAE would be the host.

A representative from UAE, Dr Shariari, in an interview with news agency ANA, stated that ASAIHL which was set up more than 60 years ago and whose members comprised of Southeast Asia nations, had succeeded in attracting other universities from around the globe and from different continents.

He said UAE University had set up an exhibition booth at the exhibition hall as part of its active participation in the conference, apart from offering potentials in international co-operation in the areas of joint trainings, scientific conferences, exchange of students and professors and setting up of companies by the university and member countries. - UPM. 


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