Photos by Mohd Iqbal Roslan
SINTOK, 19 Januari 2026: The Centre for International Affairs and Cooperation (CIAC UUM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), recently received an official visit from a delegation representing Nordic International University, a partner institution from Uzbekistan. The visit marked a meaningful step towards strengthening long-term and sustainable academic collaboration between the institutions.
The delegation was led by Dr Nuriddin Murodullayev, Vice Rector for Financial Affairs, and was accompanied by Dr Zuxra Narbekova Tadjubaevna. Also joining the delegation was a representative from Asian Technology University, a newly established Uzbek institution that expressed strong interest in forging a formal partnership with UUM. The delegation further included Dr Elyas, Head of the Pedagogical Institute at Asian Technology University, Uzbekistan.
The visit coincided with the delegation’s participation in a two-week teacher training programme organised by the Future Learning and Development Competence Centre (FLanDeCC). FLanDeCC is a specialised centre under the auspices of the School of Education (SoE), UUM, focusing on future-oriented learning, professional development, and competency-based education through training, research, and international engagement. The programme, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr Hasniza Nordin, aims to strengthen pedagogical competencies while fostering meaningful cross-cultural academic exchange.
During the engagement with CIAC UUM, discussions centred on expanding cooperation into tangible and sustainable initiatives. Key areas explored included academic articulation pathways, as well as student and staff mobility programmes aligned with UUM’s academic strengths and programme offerings.
The Director of CIAC UUM, Assoc. Prof. Dr Arpah Abu Bakar, expressed her appreciation for the delegation’s visit and commended their proactive approach towards ensuring that the collaboration remains mutually beneficial and enduring. She welcomed the inclusion of Asian Technology University and encouraged greater participation from other emerging Uzbek institutions, particularly those seeking alignment with UUM’s diverse academic disciplines.
She further emphasised UUM’s commitment to providing equitable and inclusive opportunities for all its Uzbek partner universities. Rather than fostering competition, UUM advocates a collaborative partnership ecosystem that enables institutions to grow collectively, strengthen shared capacity and ensure the sustainability of long-term academic engagement.
Overall, the visit underscores UUM’s continued commitment to inclusive internationalisation through strategic, trust-based, and sustainable global partnerships. It also reinforces the university’s positioning as a regional hub for academic collaboration, capacity building, and knowledge exchange with institutions from Central Asian. – Norliza Katuk
