KUALA NERUS, 25 June 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) continues to move forward and solidify its position as a leading institution in marine and maritime sciences by signing two strategic agreements with international and industry partners today.

The signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UMT and Irshad HR Consulting Sdn. Bhd., and a Letter of Intent (LoI) between UMT and Hainan Tropical Ocean University (HTOU), China, took place at UMT’s Gong Badak Campus.

In his speech, UMT Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Mohd Zamri Ibrahim described the signing as a significant beginning of a new phase in collaborative relationships and shared aspirations between the institutions involved.

“Today marks the start of a meaningful new chapter in forging cooperation and shared goals between our institutions.

“We remain committed to excellence in marine science, environmental studies, and sustainable development. This commitment has been recognised internationally when UMT was ranked among the world’s top 100 universities, top 20 in Asia, and number one in Malaysia for Marine Biology and Freshwater Sciences for the 2024/2025 academic year.”

The collaboration with HTOU will focus on research exchange, academic expertise sharing, and joint use of facilities in the field of tropical oceanography.

HTOU Vice President, Professor Dr. Wang Daoru, described UMT as a strategic partner with a comprehensive and high-quality marine research support system.

“UMT has a strong advantage in tropical ocean research ecosystems. We believe this collaboration will open opportunities for new discoveries that can contribute to the sustainability of regional marine resources.”

Meanwhile, the collaboration with Irshad HR Consulting Sdn. Bhd., led by Group Chief Executive Ahmad Raji Yaakub, will focus on human capital development, graduate employability enhancement, and strengthening of soft skills through various training and career placement programmes.

“With our vast experience in human resource consulting, we believe this collaboration will empower UMT graduates with the added value required by today’s industries, thereby contributing to national human capital development,” he said.

On another note, UMT is ranked within the 801–850 band in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and is among the top 195 universities in Asia according to the QS Asia University Rankings.

“These achievements reflect the dedication of the entire UMT academic community and serve as a strong foundation for global partnerships that positively drive the university’s excellence,” he added.

Published by:

Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu