Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur | Friday 19 June 2026
Provost KATO Pays Courtesy Visit to the Universiti Malaya

 

On June 19, KATO Mitsuyasu, Executive Director and Provost, paid a courtesy visit to Professor Dr. Zamri Radzi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs) of the Universiti Malaya (UM).

Prof. Zamri served as the overall coordinator of the “Global Student Leadership Summit 2026 (GSLS 2026),” which was jointly organized by the UM and University of Tsukuba in January this year at Tsukuba main campus. This visit marked their reunion since the summit. The two looked back on the outcomes of the summit and exchanged views on possibilities for further collaboration in the future.

Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Yvonne Lim Ai Lian from the UM attended the courtesy visit, while University of Tsukuba was represented by Professor TSUJIMURA, Dean of the School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design, among others.

In the subsequent discussion session, a wide-ranging exchange of views took place with the aim of further deepening collaboration between the two universities.

First, the participants reviewed the outcomes of the student exchange between Japan and Malaysia facilitated through the GSLS program, and highly commended its contributions to deepening cross-cultural understanding, fostering leadership, and building lasting personal networks.

They also referred to a fireworks event held in June 2026, organized by the Japanese language club of the UM, in which students from the University of Tsukuba, Malaysia participated.
This event served as a platform for exchange centered on Japanese culture, fostering a sense of camaraderie among the students and serving as an opportunity to bridge the gap between students from Japan and Malaysia; it was recognized by all as an initiative of high educational significance.

(UTMy Students Joined UM's Hanabi Taikai! | University of Tsukuba, Malaysia)

Regarding future student exchanges, both sides agreed on the importance of creating multi-layered opportunities that include not only students from the University of Tsukuba, Malaysia but also those from the main campus in Japan, by utilizing cultural events such as fireworks festivals and sports competitions.

Furthermore, attention was drawn to the “International Student Mobility Programme (ISMP)” implemented by the UM, which includes short-term study programs in countries such as Indonesia and Thailand as part of formal coursework. Both sides agreed to explore the joint implementation of educational programs through collaboration with the University of Tsukuba’s multicultural co-learning programs.

In the area of researcher exchange, potential collaboration was noted in language education, including Japanese and Chinese, as well as in initiatives related to special needs and inclusive education, leveraging the strengths of both institutions.

In addition, the importance of mobility programs for non-academic staff was emphasized, and it was proposed to promote such programs, including the development of institutional frameworks.

Both parties confirmed that these initiatives would be implemented in a phased and strategic manner, while carefully determining the most appropriate timing and formats for both sides.
This visit is expected to serve as an important opportunity to further strengthen the cooparative relationship between the two universities and to promote continued development in education, research, and human exchange.