| Universiti Putra Malaysia

eDU-PARK formed collaborations to attract tourists

By Azman Zakaria

Photo by Noor Azreen Awang

 

SERDANG, June 15 - The education tourism programme in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) campus, eDU-PARK, has moved forward by becoming the first university to collaborate with four travel agencies in strengthening eDU-PARK as a destination for local and international tourists.

The objective is to further expand the collaborations related to edu-tourism and agri-tourism in UPM in its efforts to attract tourists.

eDU-PARK, a division of Putra Science Park, UPM, is an educational tourism programme  that focuses on experiential learning involving eight locations in UPM, Serdang.

The locations are Serdang Gallery in the Faculty of Design and Architecture, Malay Heritage Museum (Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication), Conservatory Park (Institute of Bioscience), Anatomy Museum (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences), Animal Anatomy Museum (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) and Dairy Farm, Deer Farm and Equine Centre (University Agriculture Park).

Collaborations with Mona Holidays Sdn Bhd, Hijrah Nusrah Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, Permai Rantau Sdn Bhd and Suria Excellence Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd aimed at promoting tourism packages. The exchange of Memorandum of Understanding ceremony was held today.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Dato’ Dr. Husaini Omar, stated that eDU-PARK plays an important role in presenting UPM’s expertise, technology and innovation to the community through roadshows.

He further stated that apart from the eight existing locations, eDU-PARK is developing five other locations with the potential to attract visitors i.e. the Petting Zoo, Human Pathology Museum, Agriculture Camp, Transgenic Lab and cooking class at L’Apprenti.

“Under  the eDU-PARK programme, the public in or outside the country have the opportunity to explore the academic field and gain knowledge from edu-tourism experts through the interactive activities offered.”

"This effort is one of UPM’s initiatives to share expertise and facilities while promoting UPM’s technology and innovation at the national and international levels in accordance with its objective to boost industry and community relations,” he said.

The Deputy Director of EDU-PARK Division, Putra Science Park, UPM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Faridah Qamaruz Zaman, added that since its launch in 2014, eDU-PARK has received almost 4,000 visitors from various countries including Japan, South Korea, China, India, Italy, Australia and the United States of America and more than 41,000 local tourists.

“With the tagline 'PLAY, LEARN & STAY YOUNG,” she added, “eDU-PARK inculcates elements of experiential learning as visitors have the opportunity to experience hands-on activities and interact with experts from UPM.”

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