Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Universitas Borneo Tarakan signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to expand academic exchanges, step up joint research and drive new development initiatives between Sabah and Kalimantan.
UMS Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said the partnership marked a major step in strengthening ties between the two universities.
Advertisement
“This is more than a formal agreement,” he said. “It is a commitment to turn academic cooperation into action that benefits both Sabah and Kalimantan.”
Under the agreement, both universities will launch a joint research programme starting with a matching grant of RM20,000, with UMS and UBT each contributing RM10,000.
The funds will support studies focused on issues along the Malaysia–Indonesia border, particularly trade, development and governance.
Kasim said the research would help both governments craft stronger trade policies and curb illegal cross-border activities.“We want to provide clear data so policymakers can strengthen legal trade channels and close the gaps that allow illegal practices to thrive,” he told reporters after the event.
Beyond trade, he added the partnership will expand into key scientific fields where both institutions share strengths, including marine science, the blue economy, environmental conservation, agriculture, fisheries and medicine.
“These are areas that matter directly to people’s lives,” Kasim said. “From food security to environmental protection, our researchers can make a real difference on the ground.”
The MoA was inked between UMS Vice Chancellor and UBT’s Dean of Economics Faculty, Dr E. Mohamad Nur Utomo who represented the UBT Rector, Prof Dr. Yahya Ahmad Zain at the 12th International Mobility Seminar.
The programme gathered academics and practitioners to discuss cross-border cooperation and regional development in Borneo.
“When universities work together, we do more than exchange students. “We build bridges of understanding and create opportunities for the next generation.” he said.
This year also marks the 12th year of collaboration between UMS and UBT. Over the years, he noted the partnership has produced joint research published in high-impact journals and helped train a new generation of scholars, with many UBT staff completing their master’s and doctoral studies at UMS.
Kasim noted the cooperation has already produced results. “Now this new agreement allows us to scale up what we do and reach even further.” he said
The collaboration has also strengthened student mobility, with both universities planning to expand exchange programmes in the coming years to deepen people-to-people ties between Sabah and Kalimantan.
Looking ahead, Kasim said the goal is clear: move faster from discussion to delivery.“We have talked long enough about cooperation,” he said. “Now it is time to turn our ideas into projects that bring real benefits to our communities on both sides of the border.”
