By Syarifah Noormaisarah Tuan Besar, International Centre

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) successfully hosted an official delegation from Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Pattani Campus, Thailand, on 20 January 2026.

The visit marked a significant step forward in strengthening academic collaboration and enhancing strategic international partnerships between PSU and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

The PSU delegation was led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Warapark Maitreephun, Assistant President for Research and Social Mission, Pattani Campus, accompanied by members of the editorial team of the Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research in Asia (JSHRA), as well as representatives from the research and international affairs offices.

Upon arrival, the delegation was officially received by Prof. Ts. Dr. Kesaven A/L Bhubalan, Director of the International Centre, UMT, who welcomed the representatives from PSU Pattani Campus and reaffirmed UMT’s commitment to strengthening international academic partnerships.

The afternoon session commenced with a courtesy meeting with UMT Top Management, followed by a focused discussion session involving the University’s Editorial Board and International Team.

The session also featured a sharing presentation on UMT’s Journal of Sustainability Science and Management (JSSM) delivered by Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Ma Nyuk Ling, Deputy Chief Director of the JSSM Editorial Board. The presentation highlighted the journal’s editorial framework, publication standards, indexing achievements, and strategies for enhancing international visibility. The sharing session provided valuable insights and served as a reference point for benchmarking and future collaboration between the editorial teams of both universities

Key matters deliberated during the meeting included:

• Strengthening the quality and international visibility of academic journals
• Benchmarking editorial practices and publication standards
• Exploring joint initiatives to enhance journal indexing and impact
• Expanding student exchange and academic mobility programmes
• Identifying potential collaborative research opportunities

The discussions were constructive and forward-looking, with both institutions expressing strong interest in developing structured collaboration mechanisms, particularly in journal development and scholarly publishing standards.

During the session, the Head of Delegation, Asst. Prof. Dr. Warapark Maitreephun, conveyed his sincere appreciation to UMT for the warm hospitality and openness towards strengthening collaboration with PSU Pattani Campus.

He expressed his confidence that the partnership between both institutions would continue to grow, particularly in the areas of academic publishing and student mobility. He also conveyed his pride in the achievements and positive performance demonstrated by UMT students who participated in mobility programmes at PSU Pattani Campus, describing them as exemplary ambassadors of their university.

The visit provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and strategic dialogue. Both universities acknowledged the importance of regional collaboration in elevating academic excellence and enhancing global engagement.

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu extends its sincere appreciation to the delegation from Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, and looks forward to continued collaboration that will generate meaningful impact for both institutions.