By Murniati Abu Karim
Photos by Ikhwan Hashim
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) has taken a significant step in strengthening its global engagement by establishing the UKM International Industry Advisory Council (IIAC), a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing collaboration between academia and industry at both national and international levels.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dato Dr Sufian Jusoh said the inaugural meeting of the council brings together 16 distinguished professionals from sectors such as semiconductors, healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI), finance, economics and trade, representing countries including the United States, Germany, Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia.
He added that hrough this platform, UKM aims to gather insights and perspectives from global experts to enhance its 2026 to 2030 Strategic Plan.
“The council serves as a vital platform to bridge academia and global industry, ensuring that UKM remains responsive to evolving market demands.
“The discussions focus on financial sustainability, particularly in addressing funding challenges faced by universities in Malaysia, including UKM with an emphasis on generating alternative income streams beyond government support.
“Universities today cannot depend solely on government funding. We must explore new revenue streams through intellectual property commercialisation, venture capital initiatives and crowdfunding to support our long-term sustainability,” he added.
He said the university is broadening its global outreach efforts to diversify its student markets and increase the visibility of its programmes beyond traditional regions.
“We are looking to widen the appeal of our programmes to new regions, including Northern and Eastern Africa such as Kenya, Egypt and Morocco, while strengthening collaboration with partners in Latin America,” he explained.
Prof Sufian highlighted that while UKM already collaborates with many organisations at the MoU level through faculties and institutes, IIAC operates at the university level.
“The council comprises members who are well known to the university and can be contacted at any time.
“They can also be invited to contribute to research and teaching programmes as adjunct professors.
“The aim is to establish a supportive network of experts who can provide guidance and assist UKM in both teaching and research whenever needed,” he said.
