Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is forging new ground in international collaboration through an academic partnership with the University of Foreign Language Studies – University of Da Nang (UFLS-UD), Vietnam.
The collaboration was marked by a recent visit involving six lecturers from UMS’s TESL programme, Faculty of Education and Sports Science (FPPS).
Their participation laid the foundation for joint research, international publications and student exchange opportunities.
Among the key outcomes were preliminary talks on two research matching grants and prospects for collaborative academic publications. Both institutions also agreed to strengthen their network in English language teaching and learning.
The visit further advanced UMS’s postgraduate goals, with three potential candidates identified for graduate studies under FPPS supervision.
Adding academic impact, the UMS lecturers were invited to deliver a guest lecture titled “Innovation and Best Practices in EL Teaching and Learning: Bridging Research and Classroom Practice”.
The session engaged students from the Faculty of English and the Faculty of Foreign Language Teacher Education. Head of delegation, Dr Wirawati Ngui, said the initiative provides valuable platforms for cross-border knowledge exchange.
“This partnership enriches international exposure for lecturers and students, while opening doors to research collaboration and academic growth,” she said. The delegation also joined group teaching with 35 Business English students and attended UFLS-UD’s 40th Anniversary celebration at the Da Nang Marriott Resort and Spa.
Associate Professor Dr Wardatul Akmam Din, Director of UMS’s Centre for Internationalisation and Global Engagement, stressed that the partnership supports UMS’s global agenda.
“It strengthens our research networks, expands academic mobility and raises the quality of postgraduate supervision for international students,” she said.
TESL Mobility Coordinator Dr Ting Pick Dew added that the visit will pave the way for greater staff and student exchange.
“Our students gain valuable international exposure, and UMS itself becomes a more attractive destination for foreign students,” she said.
The initiative reflects UMS’s commitment to research, innovation and internationalisation, aligning with its aspiration to be a regional centre of excellence in higher education.
