Translated by: Lieyana Teo Mohd Zulkifli Teo (
Pictures by: Hairul Nizam Zahari
UUM ONLINE: The Australian Higher Education Institutions Familiarisation Visit to Malaysia (FAM Visit 2023) provided Australian delegates with valuable insights into the student mobility and Edutourism opportunities available at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).
UUM is one of Malaysia's public universities that hosts programmes organised by Education Malaysia Australia (EMA) in collaboration with Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS).
The Australian universities that are participating include the University of Queensland, La Trobe University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Tasmania, Edith Cowan University, University of Canberra, and University of Southern Queensland.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan, warmly welcomed the visiting delegation at UUM Welcome Centre and expressed his hope that their stay at UUM would be comfortable.
"As UUM approaches its 40th anniversary next year, we hope that the Visit UUM Year will be enriched by the presence of Australian students and higher education professionals. We believe that their involvement in mobility programmes and Edutourism in the northern region, especially at UUM will greatly enhance the overall experience.
"We are delighted to have Australian students who are here to establish connections with local students, with the ultimate goal of promoting cultural understanding among the younger generations," he said.
Meanwhile, Director of the Centre of International Affairs and Cooperation (CIAC), Assoc. Prof. Dr Arpah Abu Bakar, noted that the FAM Visit 2023 programme is part of the Ministry of Higher Education's initiatives to strengthen Malaysia's role as the 'lynchpin' in attracting global students, researchers, and talents.
"FAM Visit 2023 involves representatives from 14 Australian universities who will be visiting selected Malaysian public universities that will be serving as host institutions. Delegates from the 14 Australian universities and the selected Malaysian host universities are divided into two groups, namely the Northern Zone and the East Coast Zone," she explained.
FAM Visit 2023 offers UUM with an excellent platform to promote various long-term and short-term mobility programmes such as Summer Xchange @UUM, and Edutourism programmes to the visiting delegation. This visit can also enhance strategic collaboration between universities in Australia and Malaysia, particularly in the areas of mobility and research.
"UUM hopes that this visit will provide valuable experiences to the delegates, enabling them to promote UUM at their respective universities to conduct programmes funded by the Australian government under the New Colombo Plan (NCP) 2025.
"With UUM as one of the host universities, we can establish new networks with these Australian universities," she added.
CIAC, in collaboration with the relevant Schools and academic centres, has developed a range of Summer Xchange @UUM programmes for short-term mobility activities, including a two-month Summer Research Xchange, a four-week Summer Hybrid Research Xchange, and a four-week Summer Cultural Xchange.
Meanwhile, the Sponsored Mobility Project Officer, Ms. Katie Smith from the University of Queensland, expressed her appreciation for the warm reception by UUM and its commitment to ensuring the smooth successful implementation of planned activities throughout the programme.
During this visit, delegates had the opportunity to gain deeper understanding of Malaysia, enhance strategic collaboration between universities in Australia and Malaysia, and gain valuable insights into the various student mobility, education, and research opportunities available.
Delegates also had the chance to visit several exciting destinations and immerse themselves in the local culture. These included visits to Pekan Rabu, Alor Setar, Kampung Lebai Saman, Kuala Nerang, and Kuala Perlis.
Additionally, they had the chance to explore the lush greenery of UUM. The memories made during their visit will last a lifetime and are expected to be shared with their future students in Australia.
Following the two-day visit to UUM, the delegates will continue the FAM Visit 2023 programme by visiting Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI).