KUANTAN: Universiti Malaysia Pahang's (UMP) Confucius Institute (CI) will offer Mandarin language courses related to metallurgy (study of physical and chemical behaviour of metals) to more than 5,000 Alliance Steel (M) Sdn Bhd (ASSB) staff in the next five years.
UMP board of directors chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman said the university will offer about 40 classes on technical terms in Mandarin language every year with topics related to metallurgy.
"The Mandarin courses focusing on technical terms will cater to the needs of the industry and help boost communication between the Malaysian staff and their counterparts from China at ASSB. Specially tailored modules will be provided to improve the staff's command in Mandarin language and empower vocational education.
"CI will focus specifically on courses related to metallurgy as it is closely connected with the metal-related areas. UMP is honoured to work closely with ASSB in the pursuit of academic excellence," he said in his speech before witnessing the signing of the memorandums of understanding (MoU) between UMP and ASSB at the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) in Gebeng here today.
UMP was represented by its vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Yuserrie Zainuddin, while ASSB was represented by its chief technology officer Hu Jiulin. Also present was Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.
Meanwhile, Aziz said he hopes that both UMP and ASSB will optimise the MoU to establish close ties in the academic and research fields, and go on to support local talents and promote technological transfers.
Hu said the MoU will further promote cooperation between the university and the enterprise in achieving a win-win situation between the steel industry and academia through mutual cooperation.
"The strength of UMP and CI gives us reason to believe this university-enterprise cooperation today will create a new chapter in the development of ASSB and bring profound changes," he said.