Keele signs MoU with Universiti Sains Malaysia


MoU Signing
Posted on 17 July 2017

Keele University and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) have signed an agreement to foster collaborative work and research between the two institutions.

The Memorandum of Understanding agreement will strengthen the existing relationship - established in 2012 - between Keele and USM, and will encourage mobility of students between the two institutions, and enable academics from the two institutions to collaborate on joint ventures and research projects.

The signing took place at Keele University on Wednesday 13th July, and was attended by Professor Trevor McMillan, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University, and Prof Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Speaking about the MoU, Professor McMillan said:

“It is our great privilege to welcome Professor Asma Ismail to Keele University, and we look forward to our continuing partnership with Universiti Sains Malaysia. Not only does the new agreement represent an opportunity for us to share our strengths and learn from one another as world-class research establishments, it also offers students from both universities the opportunity to experience the research, education, and culture of another country.”

Professor Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail commented:

“Keele University has many strengths in student satisfaction, teaching excellence and graduate employability, and these are things that we know are of great importance to our students too. We are looking forward to the next phase of our relationship with Keele University; learning together, and seeing what can be co-created, so that both our institutions continue to be highly respected, preferred and relevant.”

Professor Ismail continued:

“There is particular strength at Keele in neuroscience and medicine, as there is at USM, and we would like to move forward with medical research and medical exposure, especially in neuroscience. That might be in the form of joint workshops, to allow our researchers to get together and really discuss matters, and perhaps write grants together.”

In recognition of her distinguished national and international career in research and senior management in education, Professor Ismail was also this week awarded an honorary degree by Keele.

Professor Ismail is the first woman Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia, and she also served as the country’s first woman Director-General of Higher Education. She is currently the first woman President of Academy of Sciences Malaysia (2016-2019).