KOTA KINABALU: A special task force from the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC), led by Prof Datuk N.K. Foo, visited Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s (UMS) Faculty of Science and Technology to strengthen collaborations between industry and academia.
The meeting, hosted by Prof Dr Ho Chong Mun, focused on aligning academic programmes with industry needs, and explored opportunities for joint research, internships, innovation commercialisation, and human capital development.
Prof Foo highlighted the urgency of producing job-ready graduates to meet Sabah’s industrial demands. “We must bridge the gap between academic output and practical industry needs,” he said.
Ir. Ts. Tan KJ, JP emphasised creating pipelines linking students with Sabah’s growth sectors through joint workshops and multidisciplinary research.
Ir. Chia KF and Ir. Eugene Choo called for SME involvement in curriculum development, mentorships, and innovation.
UMS responded positively, with Associate Professor Dr Assis Kamu calling the initiative timely and essential for student and community benefit.
The parties also proposed forming an Industry-Academia Engagement Framework involving internships, applied research, and industry-led knowledge-sharing.
The visit ended with a shared commitment to support Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 through science, technology, and resource development partnerships.
The meeting, hosted by Prof Dr Ho Chong Mun, focused on aligning academic programmes with industry needs, and explored opportunities for joint research, internships, innovation commercialisation, and human capital development.
Prof Foo highlighted the urgency of producing job-ready graduates to meet Sabah’s industrial demands. “We must bridge the gap between academic output and practical industry needs,” he said.
Ir. Ts. Tan KJ, JP emphasised creating pipelines linking students with Sabah’s growth sectors through joint workshops and multidisciplinary research.
Ir. Chia KF and Ir. Eugene Choo called for SME involvement in curriculum development, mentorships, and innovation.
UMS responded positively, with Associate Professor Dr Assis Kamu calling the initiative timely and essential for student and community benefit.
The parties also proposed forming an Industry-Academia Engagement Framework involving internships, applied research, and industry-led knowledge-sharing.
The visit ended with a shared commitment to support Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 through science, technology, and resource development partnerships.
