PHNOM PENH, May 13 – The Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) continues to strengthen its regional presence through a strategic collaboration visit to Cambodia under the Malaysia–Japan Linkage (MJL) Office initiative.
The visit signifies another important milestone in positioning the MJL Office as the “MJL-ASEAN Global Nexus”, a strategic control tower integrating research, academic excellence, talent development, and international engagement across Malaysia, Japan, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and global partners.
The delegation was led by the Dean of MJIIT, Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Nurulakmar Abu Husain, accompanied by the Manager of the Malaysia-Japan Advanced Research Centre (MJARC), Ts. Dr. Abd. Halim Md. Ali, and representatives of the Malaysia-Japan Linkage (MJL) Office, as well as Chief Advisor and Expert from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Isamu Hamada.
The strategic visit, held from 11 to 13 May 2026, aligns with MJL’s aspiration to establish itself as a leading Malaysian-Japanese industrial and educational hub connecting ASEAN and Japan. It also supports MJL’s 2026 and beyond target of expanding collaboration with six JICA ASEAN partner countries.
The visit focused on several key objectives, including promoting the MJL-ASEAN Global Nexus initiatives in the areas of external and global exchange, research excellence and subject matter expertise, as well as future-ready talent development and ASEAN excellence. In addition, the delegation aimed to explore academic and research collaborations through co-supervision, joint publications, and other strategic partnerships.
The visit also served as a platform to promote MJIIT academic programmes, particularly postgraduate studies, and introduce the Third Country Training Programme (TCTP).
The delegation visited several strategic institutions in Phnom Penh, including the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), the Embassy of Malaysia in Phnom Penh, the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Centre (CJCC), and the JICA Cambodia Office.
The visit commenced on 11 May 2026 at ITC, where discussions focused on potential collaborations in academic programmes, research, training, and institutional development. The MJIIT delegation was warmly welcomed by the Director General of ITC, Prof. Dr. Po Kimtho, together with the Deputy Director for Research & Cooperation, Dr. Long Bun.
On 12 May 2026, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Embassy of Malaysia in Phnom Penh. The delegation was received by Ambassador of Malaysia to Cambodia, His Excellency Dr. Shaharuddin Onn, and Deputy Chief of Mission, Nur Herzazzila Ghazali.
The discussion focused on strengthening Malaysia–Cambodia higher education and research collaboration, as well as exploring opportunities for regional engagement involving ASEAN institutions.
On the same day, the delegation visited the CJCC, one of ASEAN’s successful training centres established through Cambodia-Japan cooperation. The delegation was warmly received by the Director of CJCC, Dr. Khim Leang.
The visit provided MJIIT with valuable insights into CJCC’s best practices in developing highly competent human capital and strengthening mutual understanding between Cambodia and Japan.
Both parties also discussed potential collaboration opportunities in training, mobility programmes, and professional development initiatives.
The delegation also met with representatives from the JICA Cambodia Office, including Miura Yoshiko, to explore further collaboration opportunities in education, research, and capacity-building initiatives involving ASEAN partners.
As part of the final programme, MJIIT conducted a postgraduate admission and academic briefing session with students and staff from the ITC. The session, delivered by the Dean of MJIIT, attracted nearly 100 prospective candidates interested in pursuing postgraduate studies at MJIIT.
The visit marks an important step in strengthening MJIIT’s internationalisation agenda and expanding the role of the Malaysia–Japan Linkage Office as a regional collaboration platform. Through initiatives such as the MJL-ASEAN Global Nexus, MJIIT continues to foster meaningful partnerships that contribute towards mutual understanding, knowledge exchange, talent development, and societal progress for ASEAN, Malaysia, Japan, Cambodia, and the global community.
