Ukm Expands Global Reach With Two New Offshore Campuses

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 (Bernama) -- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is set to offer academic programmes both domestically and internationally with the establishment of the Jakarta Offshore Campus and the China Offshore Campus.

UKM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ekhwan Toriman said several potential programmes had been identified to be offered as dual degree programmes at both campuses.

"The construction project for the campus in Jakarta is currently underway and is expected to be completed before or during the second semester of the 2024 intake, while the offshore campus in China will start enrolling students in the 2025/2026 academic session.

"The Centre for Shaping Advanced and Professional Education (UKMShape) as the project coordinator is holding discussions and workshops with the faculties and universities involved to ensure these programmes can be implemented," he said in a statement today.

The Jakarta Offshore Campus involves collaboration with UKM, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) to offer degree programmes.

Meanwhile, the establishment of the China Offshore Campus involves collaboration between UKM and Chinese higher education institutions in aspects of academic programme offerings, research, industrial training, and mobility programmes.

Mohd Ekhwan said there was no investment more rewarding than education, and UKM had taken numerous measures to provide educational opportunities to the global community.

Additionally, he said UKM's collaboration with Sunway University, Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD) in Bandung, Indonesia, and Maldives National University (MNU) had been strengthened through curriculum licensing and attachment programmes.

"The collaboration between UKM and Sunway University in the field of medicine involves licensing the Doctor of Medicine degree programme to the university.

"It also involves the establishment, implementation, and monitoring of the medical programme at the School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, where UKM would provide the syllabus and related study materials for six years," he said.

He added that the medical programme at Sunway University could accommodate up to 50 students per cohort, with all facilities provided by the university, while monitoring was carried out by UKM, coordinated by UKMShape and the UKM Faculty of Medicine through the appointment of faculty coordinators, supervisory officers, and Lead Academic Consultants.

Mohd Ekhwan said the collaboration between UKM and MNU in the curriculum licensing programme for the Doctor of Medicine degree had been ongoing since 2019, accommodating between 20 and 30 students per cohort.

"Meanwhile, the collaboration with UNPAD has been ongoing since 2008 for the Doctor of Medicine dual degree programme, with a capacity of 50 students per cohort. Facilities are provided by both universities, with students undergoing preclinical training at UNPAD and clinical training at UKM.

"This year, UKM will also initiate a clinical attachment programme in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology with UNPAD, involving postgraduate students undergoing training at both universities," he said.

Mohd Ekhwan said with the various collaborations and initiatives, UKM continued to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening academic programme offerings while expanding its global reach, thereby enhancing the availability of quality higher education for students in Malaysia and internationally.

-- BERNAMA