UMPSA and AKTI Sign Strategic Collaboration in Academia, Research and TVET

KARAWANG, INDONESIA, 28 July 2026 – Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) continues to expand its international network by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Akademi Komunitas Toyota Indonesia (AKTI) to strengthen collaboration in the fields of academia, research, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

The collaboration was formalised through an official working visit by a UMPSA delegation to AKTI, led by UMPSA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Yatimah Alias, together with a delegation from the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology (FTKEE). Also accompanying the delegation were Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Technology, Ts. Dr. Md Rizal Othman, and Associate Professor Ir. Dr. Muhamad Zahim Sujod.

According to Professor Dr. Yatimah Alias, the strategic collaboration reflects UMPSA’s commitment to strengthening international relations with TVET institutions that maintain strong industry linkages, in line with the university’s aspiration to produce highly skilled graduates who meet the demands of the global industry. “This collaboration provides broader opportunities for both institutions to share expertise, conduct applied research, and expand student and staff mobility programmes. At the same time, it supports the university’s internationalisation agenda and the development of competitive human capital at the regional level,” she said.

She further emphasised that the relationship between UMPSA and AKTI would not only benefit both institutions but also has the potential to contribute to the development of a more dynamic and responsive TVET ecosystem that addresses the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0).

AKTI is a vocational higher education institution established by the Toyota Indonesia Foundation in 2015 to support the development of highly skilled human capital in the manufacturing and automotive sectors. The institution adopts an industry-based education approach that integrates theoretical learning, practical training, character development, and direct learning experiences within an industrial environment.

The collaboration between the two institutions began on 19 December 2024, when an AKTI lecturer, Mr. Yani Koerniawan, visited FTKEE to explore its laboratory facilities, academic expertise, and industry-based learning approaches implemented at UMPSA.

The relationship was subsequently strengthened through an official visit by an AKTI delegation to UMPSA on 12 August 2025, led by AKTI Deputy Director Mr. Praditya Alambara, together with Head of Administration Unit Ms. Rachmasari and Mr. Yani Koerniawan. The visit provided an opportunity for more detailed discussions on potential strategic collaboration between the two institutions, including the proposed signing of an MoU.

Following continuous discussions, the MoU between UMPSA and AKTI was successfully formalised on 1 July 2026, providing a structured framework for the implementation of various academic, research, and TVET development programmes.

Under the MoU, both parties will collaborate in various areas, including research and development (R&D), applied research projects, joint publications, seminars and conferences, exchange of academic and technical materials, student and staff mobility programmes, industry competency-based curriculum development, and capacity-building programmes for TVET educators.

The collaboration will also include opportunities for industrial training, Work-Based Learning (WBL), professional certification programmes, TVET best-practice sharing, and participation in regional initiatives including the ASEAN TVET Hub.

During the official working visit, the UMPSA delegation also participated in a strategic meeting with AKTI management, an MoU document exchange session, presentations on FTKEE’s research and innovation activities, academic expertise-sharing sessions, and interactions with AKTI lecturers and students.

This strategic collaboration is expected to create more opportunities for both institutions in joint research, technology development, international mobility, and human capital development, while further strengthening higher education relations between Malaysia and Indonesia in industry-driven engineering and TVET.