The University of Malaya (UM) will establish its first overseas branch campus in Shandong Province, China. According to The Star, UM's president, Datuk Sri Noor Azuan, revealed that this will be the first public university in Malaysia to set up a branch campus in China, helping UM to better leverage China's advantages in economy and technology. UM chose Shandong Province mainly because it ranked among the top three in China's GDP last year and is expected to maintain stable growth in the coming years.
Noor Azuan recently met with Shandong Province's Vice Governor Zhang Haibo. If all goes well, the branch campus is expected to open next year. Moreover, the Shandong Provincial Government has promised to provide support in terms of finance and infrastructure for UM's branch campus. During his visit to China, he interacted with top Chinese universities and government leaders, including the Deputy Minister of Education Wu Yan and the President of Peking University Gong Qihuang.
Noor Azuan pointed out that through deepening education cooperation between Malaysia and China, UM is promoting a more inclusive and knowledge-driven future, benefiting both countries and the world. He added that UM is currently collaborating with Peking University and plans to establish a basic course project and will set up a China Study Center - UM Joint Center in Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.
He noted that he discussed with Wang Dazhuang, the director of the China Study Center, how to use digital technology and artificial intelligence to optimize the student selection process, simplify the admission procedures for Chinese students, ensure a high-quality selection mechanism, and provide opportunities for outstanding talents to study in Malaysia.
According to the WeChat account of the Shandong Provincial Education Department, Zhang Haibo welcomed Noor Azuan and his team's visit to Shandong and briefly introduced the economic and social development of Shandong Province, as well as the latest situation of educational reform.
