A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between UTAR and Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd via Zoom on 29 September 2021 to formalise collaboration between one another.
The signatories were UTAR President Ir Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat and Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohamad Hafidz bin Arifin. It was witnessed by UTAR Vice President for Internationalisation and Academic Development Ir Prof Dr Yow Ho Kwang.
With the signing of this MoU, UTAR and Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd wish to foster industry-academic cooperation in joint projects/researches, share expertise, initiate academic staff and student exchanges, organise study tours and visits, and provide industrial placement opportunities for students. In addition, UTAR and Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd will organise joint short courses, seminars, talks, conferences and workshops. The two parties will also work closely to exchange ideas and facilitate each other in research, curriculum development as well as professional development.
Prof Ewe expressing his appreciation to Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd and looking forward to working with them.
In his remarks, Prof Ewe expressed his gratitude to Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd for providing the opportunity to explore collaborations in fig plantation and fig industry. He said, “The expertise from Afta Benefigs are in line with our Agriculture and Food Science programmes under the Faculty of Science./span> TThis will enable us to gain insights into the industry, which is important for ensuring that our programmes remain relevant to the advances of the industry, and improving our curriculum development. Afta Benefigs will be a good learning platform for our students to gain real-life skills, experience and knowledge required for their employment later on.”
Mohamad Hafidz emphasising the importance of industry-academia collaboration.
Mohamad Hafidz, in his speech, said, “Fig is known as the highest valued crop in Malaysia. It has the fastest yield within the four months of the first harvest. It is also known as the superfruit and superfood for its high nutritional value in terms of fibre, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamin A, C and D. It is a natural remedy to treat bowel diseases such as diarrhoea, diabetes, heart as well as cholesterol problems. The fruit is also beneficial for pregnant and nursing mothers. Hence, fig has a high demand in the market.”
He added, “Afta Benefigs struggles to meet the demands of the market because the demand is always more than the supply. Recognising this, and for the industry to move forward, the company has decided to look for strategic partners to help address the needs of the industry as well as opportunities that prevail along the value chain. It is our hope and prayer that through this strategic collaboration, UTAR will become one of the key partners in helping Afta Benefigs to be Malaysia’s top-quality fig producer.”
Also present at the virtual ceremony were Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd Operation Supervisor Hafiz Azraf Hassan, Afta Benefigs Sdn Bhd Executive Business Sustainability Siti Fatimah Shaari, UTAR Division of Community and International Networking (DCInterNet) Director Assoc Prof Dr Lai Soon Onn, UTAR DCInterNet Deputy Director Dr Chen I-Chi, UTAR Faculty of Science (FSc) Dean Assoc Prof Dr Lim Tuck Meng, UTAR FSc Department of Biological Science Head Dr Nor Ismaliza binti Mohd Ismail, UTAR FSc Department of Allied Health Sciences lecturer Dr Michelle Ng Yeen Tan and staff from both AAfta Benefigs Sdn Bhd and UTAR.
Online Education Fair 线上教育展
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)
拉曼大学
https://edufair.fsi.com.my/utar
