Photographed at the signing of the new partnership with TAR UMT in Malaysia with TUS (left to right) Donnacha McNamara, VP of International TUS, Ambassador Hilary Reilly, Irish Ambassador to Malaysia, President of TAR UMT, Prof Ir. Dr Lee Sze Wei
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and an articulation agreement with Tunku Abdul Rahmen University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) in Malaysia.
The new partnership will create an exciting launchpad for further collaboration in various arenas, including staff, student, and researcher mobility.
As part of the newly signed agreement, both institutes will explore mutually beneficial forms of cooperation, including study tours, exchange of students and academic personnel, pathway programmes, summer school programmes, cooperative R&D activities, design of courses, symposia, and academic programmes.
Donnacha McNamara, VP of International at TUS, and Dr Maura Clancy, Dean of Faculty, Applied Science and Technology, TUS Moylish Campus, travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend the signing ceremony, which was supported by HE Hilary Reilly, Irish Ambassador to Malaysia, and Enterprise Ireland ASEAN Head Ms Jayanthi Thevarajah.
Mr. Jack Meng, Director of Asia, TUS and Mr. Kean Yeap Yong, International Marketing and Recruitment, TUS, was also in attendance at the event.
Commenting on the significance of the new partnership, Mr McNamara said, “Today marks a momentous occasion for our two newly formed universities. We are committed to expanding relationships with our global partners to attract international students and researchers to TUS and offering international opportunities to our students, staff and researchers.
“Through this partnership, we aim to increase international cooperation between Malaysia and Ireland through mutual cultural understanding, exchange of academic and technological resources, and joint research-based and educational initiatives.
“We value the support of Enterprise Ireland in the region and the Embassy of Ireland, particularly Ambassador Hilary Reilly, Irish Ambassador to Malaysia. We look forward to developing further programmes with the team at TAR UMT and to further the internationalisation objectives for both universities”.
Prof. Ir. Dr Lee Sze Wei, President of TAR UMT, added, “We appreciate the partnership, which has extended since our TAR College days. We look forward to continuing the partnership and developing more meaningful collaboration regarding research collaborations, student & staff exchanges, and more, which echoes the sentiments of VP International Donnacha McNamara and colleagues from TUS”.
Malaysia has been a priority international region for TUS, participating in Enterprise Ireland trade missions and Education Ireland fairs since 2009.
Over 120 students from Malaysia and South East Asia are studying across its six campuses. Over 50 students from TAR UMT have studied in TUS in the past decade.
TUS International Offices are based in Athlone and Limerick, with International Student Liaison Offices located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; New Delhi, India; Shanghai, China, and the latest launch took place in April in Lagos, Nigeria.
With a network of over 200 global partners, the TUS International Office remains dedicated to enhancing international collaborations in critical regions such as Malaysia through the mobility of both staff and students.
These initiatives enrich the academic experience and foster the exchange of knowledge and expertise among diverse cultures and backgrounds.