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Kota Kinabalu: University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) have formalised a Letter of Intent (LoI) to strengthen collaboration in academic development, professional training and research in surveying, engineering and the built environment.

The LoI was jointly signed by UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Haji Mansor and RISM President Sr Wan Ainon Zuraiha Wan Abd Khalid, marking a significant step forward in institutional partnership.

“This collaboration represents our collective aspiration to support the growth of Sabah and the nation through education, innovation and industry engagement,” Kasim said during the ceremony on Tuesday. 

He said the future collaboration covers joint seminars, workshops, guest lectures, curriculum with industry relevance, industrial training, staff and student attachments and technical visits to RISM members’ companies, which would provide UMS students with real exposure to professional practice.

He added that the LoI further promotes joint research and publication in areas such as construction management, sustainable design and Building Information Modelling (BIM), which includes capacity-building programmes, community outreach initiatives and sustainability-driven activities. 

Kasim highlighted that the partnership includes planning of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities for RISM members and UMS academicians, as well as micro-credential programmes that aim to strengthen the lifelong learning and enhancing graduate employability.

He announced that UMS would introduce two new degree programmes next year under the Built Environment cluster – the Bachelor of Architecture in March and the Bachelor of Quantity Surveying in September.

He said the signing represented trust, collaboration and shared purpose, adding that UMS and RISM were committed to nurturing the next generation of professionals who would drive Sabah’s progress.

“With RISM’s professional expertise and UMS’s academic strength, I am confident that Sabah can position itself as a hub of professional excellence and sustainable development, the true Brain of Borneo,” he said.

Meanwhile, RISM Sabah Branch Chairman Ts Sr Allen Leslie Chin highlighted that RISM will provide a strong commitment to UMS for improving the students’ skills, knowledge and quality in professional development, and hope that the collaboration will continue for many years to come and continue to benefit the next generation of students.

“It is a wonderful beginning to have UMS lecturers joining in this year’s congress as organising committee members,” he said.

In their addresses, Kasim and Allen expressed sincere appreciation for the initiation of this significant milestone between UMS and RISM.

They stated that this collaboration will strengthen the relationship between academia and the professional sector in line with the shared vision of producing UMS graduates who are professional, competent and ready to meet emerging industry needs.

As concluding remarks, Kasim and Allen expressed appreciation to all contributors involved in the congress and looking forward to the success of future collaborations between the academics and industry.