MSU and FINAS signed an MoU to strengthen Malaysia’s creative industry through academia-industry collaboration.
MANAGEMENT AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY (MSU) and the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) have formalised a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s creative industry through closer collaboration between academia and industry.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in conjunction with the MSU Global Dialogue Series, themed Creative Industries and Soft Power: Strengthening Malaysia’s Global Influence, held at the university’s Shah Alam campus on Tuesday.
Among those present were FINAS chairman Datuk Hans Isaac, MSU senior vice-president for Industry Partnership and Entrepreneurship Professor Dr Abdul Jalil Ghazali, FINAS deputy director-general (Management) Datin Rozita Waty Ridzuan and senior management representatives from both organisations.
Under the partnership, MSU and FINAS will collaborate on curriculum development, reskilling and upskilling programmes, professional training, consultancy, certification and broader industry engagement.
The agreement also encompasses student internships, academic and industry expert exchanges, research attachments, co-supervision, and the appointment of industry practitioners as adjunct professors and lecturers.
MSU will contribute its expertise in research, development and innovation through collaborative research projects, joint publications, scientific presentations and the sharing of research materials. The university will also provide campus facilities to support joint initiatives.
The collaboration is expected to create greater opportunities for students to gain industry exposure while showcasing their creative talents.
Both parties also plan to jointly organise film festivals, creative content showcases, industry talks, seminars, conferences and community engagement programmes to promote creativity, entrepreneurship and social impact.
As part of the collaboration, FINAS will serve as an Industrial Award partner during MSU’s convocation by providing non-financial support. The agency will also join the university’s University Industry Advisory Panel to strengthen industry-academia engagement.
Following the signing ceremony, the MSU Global Dialogue Series brought together government representatives, academics, industry leaders and students to discuss how the creative industries can enhance Malaysia’s cultural influence, economic competitiveness and global soft power.
The dialogue focused on emerging industry trends, innovation, digital transformation and the importance of strategic collaboration in building a resilient and globally competitive creative ecosystem.
MSU said the partnership reflects the shared commitment of both organisations to nurture creative talent, advance Malaysia’s creative economy and strengthen collaboration between higher education institutions and the creative industry.
The university added that the collaboration is expected to enhance graduate employability, support sustainable workforce development and reinforce its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
