SEALING THE DEAL (From left to right): UCSI Vice-Chancellor and President Senior Professor Dato’ Dr Khalid Yusoff and CYCU President Samuel K. C. Chang during the UCSI-CYCU MoU signing and exchange ceremony.

KEY MILESTONE (From left to right): UCSI Vice-Chancellor and President Senior Professor Dato’ Dr Khalid Yusoff and CYCU President Samuel K. C. Chang sealing the deal with a handshake during the UCSI-CYCU MoU signing and exchange ceremony.

SEALING THE DEAL (From left to right): UCSI Vice-Chancellor and President Senior Professor Dato’ Dr Khalid Yusoff and CYCU President Samuel K. C. Chang posing for the camera during the UCSI-CYCU MoU signing and exchange ceremony.

KUALA LUMPUR: UCSI University (UCSI) recently hosted a delegation from Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU), Taiwan, Republic of China to explore potential areas for academic collaboration.

Founded in 1955, CYCU has been noted as the top private comprehensive university in the 2013 Asian Cross Strait Four-Regions Top Ranking Universities for three years consecutively.

The event saw a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchange and signing ceremony between CYCU President Samuel K. C. Chang and UCSI Vice-Chancellor and President Senior Professor Dato’ Dr Khalid Yusoff.

Hailing the tie-up, Dato’ Khalid points out that the MoU is a key milestone in the University’s history of industry-academia collaboration.

“We have a long-standing relationship with CYCU, especially in the architecture field,” he says.

“The MoU will further fortify this and I look forward to seeing both students and academics alike equipped with additional knowledge and value-added skills.”

Sharing similar views with Dato’ Khalid, President Chang highlights that he is pleased to have this opportunity to collaborate with UCSI.

“I believe holistic education is very important and (am delighted that) UCSI shares the same educational philosophy as we do,” says President Chang.

“This MoU will help us build more meaningful partnerships with the industry. Partnerships that will ensure our students learn not only theory but also the skills that make them valuable employees in their companies (upon graduation).”

First signed in September 2008, the MoU will be the first renewal – with an enhanced scope of collaboration – between the two organisations.

Under the MoU, UCSI and CYCU will work closely to not only set up shared research facilities in Malaysia but will also collaborate on joint research projects and publications.

A joint studio programme as well as staff and student exchange programmes are also in the pipeline.

Among those who were in attendance include CYCU College of Design Dean Professor Dr Chao Ching Yu; College of Design Associate Dean Associate Professor Joseph Chu – Rong Wey; Centre for Learning Enhancement Director Professor Shin Ming Pi; Data Systems Consulting Co., Ltd. CEO Ching I Wang; CYCU Office of International and Cross-Strait Education Programme Manager Chun Mei Chen; UCSI Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs and Research) Professor Dr Teoh Kok Soo; UCSI Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International Relations) Professor Dr Lee Chai Buan; and UCSI’s Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment Dean Ir Associate Professor Dr Jimmy Mok, among others.