7 Days of Wisdom Without Borders Highlights (Day #4)

Pictures Syed Haikal Syafiq Syed Mohd Fazli and Muhammad Naufal Norasikin @ Mohd Zulhilmi

CHINA, 5 January 2026: AAs part of the ongoing Wisdom Without Borders (WWB) programme, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and Hebei Finance University (HFU) deepened their collaboration through a high-level leadership engagement aimed at strengthening institutional ties and advancing postgraduate development.

The session was led by Han Jingwang, Member of the University Standing Committee and Vice President of HFU, who formally welcomed the UUM delegation on behalf of the University. Discussions centred on potential collaboration in research initiatives, joint postgraduate supervision, and structured academic mobility, underscoring a shared commitment to a sustainable, reciprocal, and future-oriented partnership.

Representing UUM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Md Zawawi Abu Bakar, Dean of Awang Had Salleh Graduate School (AHSGS), shared insights into UUM’s postgraduate ecosystem, highlighting programme offerings across the fields of Education, Economics, Finance, and Banking. The discussion revealed a strong alignment between UUM’s positioning as Malaysia’s leading management and business-focused university and HFU’s specialised strengths in finance and economics, thereby creating clear pathways for future academic collaboration and postgraduate recruitment.

Complementing this overview, Dr. Nor Fauzian Kassim, PhD Programme Chair at UUM’s School of Education, presented a detailed briefing on the University’s doctoral programmes in education. Particular emphasis was placed on supervision frameworks, research culture, and international student support mechanisms. The presentations elicited considerable interest, reflecting the growing enrolment of Chinese postgraduate students in UUM’s education programmes.

Notably, the engagement also illuminated the human dimension underpinning the institutional partnership. Sun Jiayun, a staff member of HFU’s International Affairs Office and currently a PhD student at UUM, exemplified the depth of academic trust and cross-institutional integration cultivated through the WWB initiative.

Following the formal discussions, the UUM delegation was hosted for a visit to HFU’s University Museum, offering an enriching academic and cultural immersion into the evolution of Chinese civilisation through the lens of monetary history. The exhibition traced the progression of coins, currency, and systems of economic governance across successive dynasties, providing contextual insights that resonated strongly with the academic strengths of both institutions.

These Day Four highlights marked an important transition in the 7 Days of Wisdom Without Borders series, signalling a shift from scholarly exchange to strategic partnership. Through leadership dialogue, programme alignment, and cultural-academic engagement, UUM and HFU reaffirmed their shared vision for long-term collaboration anchored in academic excellence, mutual respect, and a collective sense of global responsibility. – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nurliyana Bukhari and Nurhafidzah Abu Samah