Prof Dr. Shahrul (left) presents a memento to Prof Dr. Ahmad, witnessed by Husnul (center).

BINTULU: Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB) in collaboration with Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) Banjarmasin and Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Indonesia, recently organized the Konsortium Universiti Universitas Borneo (KUUB) Convention and the signing of the Declaration of Understanding (DoU) for the establishment of KUUB, along with 16 member universities in Banjarmasin.

The official opening of the KUUB Convention and the DoU exchange for the establishment of KUUB was officiated by ULM Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Alim Bachri, and UPMKB Director and KUUB Founding Chairman, Prof. Dr. Shahrul Razid Sarbini. The ceremony was witnessed by the Advisor for Social Affairs and Human Resources (SDM) whom representing the Governor of South Kalimantan, Husnul Khatimah, and the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Brunei, who is also the Deputy Chairman of KUUB, Datin Paduka Professor Dr. Dayang Zohrah Sulaiman.

Siti Rajanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Director of the UPMKB Centre for Strategy and Corporate Relations, stated that KUUB is a consortium of universities comprising 16 selected universities in the Borneo region. These include Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, and Universiti Teknologi Brunei in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam; Universitas Borneo Tarakan, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, Universitas Mulawarman, Universitas Palangka Raya, and Universitas Tanjungpura, Pontianak in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

In Malaysia, the participating universities include Curtin University Malaysia, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus, Universiti Teknologi MARA Sabah, Universiti Teknologi Mara Sarawak, and Universiti Teknologi Sarawak.

Siti Rajanah further explained that the DoU exchange for the establishment of KUUB symbolizes regional cooperation among KUUB member universities to facilitate joint conferences, congresses, seminars, training, and projects related to KUUB's main focus areas. These projects include 'Youth Development,' 'Women in Research and Development', 'Universities for the Community', 'Art and Culture Exchange', 'Leadership and Global Governance,' 'Tourism and Hospitality Management', and 'Conservation and Biodiversity'.

The initiative to establish KUUB aims to enhance commitment and strategic partnerships between public universities and governments in Borneo to support excellence, capacity building, internationalization in teaching and learning, research and innovation, as well as student mobility and graduate employability. This alliance is also seen as a network that can elevate the standard of education in the Borneo region, positioning Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia as leading higher education destinations in Asia.

The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Sarawak, as well as the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia.

UPMKB serves as the permanent secretariat of KUUB, with a management team comprising Fakhzan Buang, Ts Dr. Suhaili Mustafa, Siti Rajanah, Joyce Morris Kapong, Noor Hakim Ahmad, Mohamad Syukri Mohamad Adnan, Head of UPM International Centre Noraihan Nordin, and UPM Legal Officer Nariza Mohd Elias.