By: Dr. Shafinah Kamarudin
SERDANG, July 16 – A total of 22 students from Padjajaran University (UNPAD), accompanied by a lecturer, Faisal Syahmurman, visited Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) through the Educational Visit to UPM programme recently.
It was a reciprocal visit to the International Agriculture Outreach Program 2019 organised by students from UPM Bintulu Campus, Sarawak (UPMKB) from 1 to 14 April 2019.
The main aim of the programme was to strengthen bilateral relations between UNPAD and UPM, and to serve as a platform for UNPAD and UPM students to exchange opinions and ideas, particularly on matters related to teaching and learning.
A senior lecturer from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Dr. Mohd Mustafa Awang Kechik, who was also the project leader said that such programmes should be expanded in line with the government’s efforts to strengthen education and the development of human capital in the region in facing the challenges of the 4.0 industrial revolution.
The programme also involved students and staff from the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and UPMKB.
Through the Educational Visit to UPM programme, UNPAD students toured the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which is one of the earliest faculties established in UPM.
Dr. Tengku Rinalfi Putra Tengku Azizan, a senior lecturer from the Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, briefed the delegation on programmes offered at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The delegation visited the Animal Anatomy Museum and teaching laboratories at the faculty.
A briefing session between UNPAD and UPM was held at the Faculty of Science. It was handled by the Deputy Dean (Academic and Student Affairs), Faculty of Science, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nor Azwady Abd. Aziz. Also present were the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Dr. Mohd. Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman, Deputy Dean (Research and Graduate Studies), Prof. Dr. Zanariah Abdul Majid and UPMKB representative, Dr. Shafinah Kamarudin.
UNPAD delegation also visited the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and the Biological Museum. The visits were led by Dr. Mohd Noor Hisham Mohd Nadzir.
Head of the Department of Biology, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muskhazli Mustafa, explained that the teaching and learning in the Department of Biology was based on the fundamentals of biology.
The delegation also visited the Microbiology Research Lab to expose UNPAD students to the latest technology used in UPM. The visit was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nur Ain Izzati Mohd Zainuddin.
Although the programme was brief, it is hoped that the collaboration between UNPAD and UPM will continue in the aspects of education, research or regional community development efforts. - UPM
