Phl embassy forges links with Universiti Malaya

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said Monday that it has forged academic linkages with the Universiti Malaya (UM) during a courtesy call of Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya on UM Vice Chancellor Tan Sri Dr. Ghauth Jasmon at his office on September 25.

"The Philippines and Malaysia are experiencing a renaissance in its bilateral relations, and we are glad to have the university as partner in the strengthening of academic and educational linkages between our two countries," Malaya told  Ghauth during the meeting.

The vice chancellor informed Malaya of the strong presence of Filipino professors in the university's faculty and lauded their competence and professionalism.

"We have a growing relationship with the Philippines, first through the Filipino professors with us here at the university, and our increasing academic linkages with several Philippine universities," Ghauth said.

Also present during the call were UM Cultural Centre Director and Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Nasir Hashim, UM International and Corporate Relations Office Deputy Director Dr. Jagdish Kaur Gurdeep Singh, UM Centre for Research in International and Comparative Education Director Dr. Lorraine Symaco, UM Section for Co-Curricular Courses External Faculty Electives and TITAS Co-Coordinator Dr. Linda Lumayag and UM Faculty of Languages and Linguistics Senior Lecturer Dr. Francisco Dumanig.

Symaco, Lumayag and Dumanig are three of several Filipino professors teaching at the UM.

The ambassador also thanked the vice chancellor and other UM officials present for their support and assistance for the upcoming performance of the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC) in its Experimental Theatre.

Earlier, Ghauth agreed to host the UPCC in the theater and asked its Cultural Centre to help out in the preparations for the event.

Malaya extended the Embassy's willingness to assist the UM in its academic linkages with other Philippine universities.

The vice chancellor informed him of the university's program where they recruit "bright sparks"- the best students, including Filipino and other international students, who wish to do their doctorate degrees in the university. These students will be given scholarships and other benefits while they do their research through the university.

The ambassador proposed the university's publication of research studies done by Filipino professors and Malaysian academics on Philippine-Malaysia subjects, such as history of the Lanao Sultanates, migration and inter-cultural issues, and gender studies. The university official warmly received the proposal.

The UM is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest and one the most prestigious universities in Malaysia.  The university was founded in 1949 as a public-funded tertiary institution. Today, it has more than 2,500 faculty members. In 2012, UM was granted autonomy status by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education.