KYUSHU UNIVERSITY COLLABORATES WITH SARAWAK ON FOREST CARBON INITIATIVES

KUCHING, July 24 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Government, through the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS), has signed a memorandum of understanding with National University Corporation Kyushu University Japan to facilitate bilateral collaboration for forest research activities.

In a statement today, FDS said the MOU which was signed in Fukuoka, Japan yesterday involves a collaboration that includes the assessment of forest ecosystem functions to be carried out under the Forest Carbon Initiatives in Sarawak. 

“It also intended to facilitate knowledge and skills sharing through capacity building, training for officers and students exchange programme, joint data analysis and enhancement of scientific analytic, joint publication of findings, enhancement of research competencies and any other areas of collaboration mutually agreed by the parties,” it said.

Dean of the National University Corporation Kyushu University, Prof Dr Miki Nakao was quoted in the statement as saying that the collaboration would pave the way for them to fulfil their commitment to facilitating Sarawak’s forest carbon initiatives.

“As a university, we are committed to providing scientific knowledge necessary for informed policy-making and I believe that our collaboration with the Sarawak Government will significantly contribute to this effort,” he said.

FDS director Datuk Hamden Mohammad, meanwhile, said FDS and the university shared the common goal to strengthen, promote and develop project collaboration on equality and mutual benefit.

“This partnership underscores our shared commitment to addressing global environmental challenges through research, education, and sustainable practices,” he added.

Following the signing ceremony, the parties took part in a symposium organised by the National University Corporation Kyushu University, Japan, which saw six papers being presented. 

FDS made one of the presentations which touched on the Sarawak government forest policy and good governance, as well as the State’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 on forest sustainability.

-- BERNAMA