by Ts. Gs. Dr. Kamarul Rahim Kamarudin

PAGOH – Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) proudly announces the successful completion of the “International Summer Course on Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Biodiversity Conservation” by six first-year Bachelor of Science (Biological Diversity and Conservation) with Honours students.

The program, hosted by the Faculty of Biology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia, took place in Yogyakarta from July 21 to July 25, 2025.

This short-term, non-credit international outbound mobility initiative aimed to broaden students’ global exposure and strengthen collaborative ties between the two institutions, as agreed on the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The participating students, Aniesha Qystina Muslim, Divashini A/P Kumar, Janis Khor Xin Rou, Wee Ai Ying, Muhammad Aaqil Darwish Azliman, and Muhammad Amni Zahin Wahid, were accompanied by Ts. Gs. Dr. Kamarul Rahim Bin Kamarudin from the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology. He was also invited to deliver a lecture entitled “Marine Bioprospecting Best Practices” in front of participants from various countries, including Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

The UTHM students’ involvement in this program was a testament to UTHM’s commitment to fostering international collaboration and providing students with invaluable cross-cultural experiences.

The students immersed themselves in many different activities such as lectures, hands-on workshops, exploration of biotechology innovation and the aquaculture industry on the field, and a visit to mangrove ecosystem, the Parangtritis Geomaritime Science Park and Depok Beach. The highlight of this summer course was during the visit at Porok Beach for intertidal sampling, discussions, and clean-up activities at the beach.

By continuously fostering such global engagements, UTHM aims to further equip its students with the interdisciplinary knowledge, cross-cultural competencies, and professional networks essential for addressing complex global challenges in sustainable fisheries and marine biodiversity conservation, enhancing UTHM’s standing as a globally recognized institution.

Looking ahead, it is hoped that the success of this International Summer Course will catalyse even more extensive and diverse international mobility programs for UTHM students.