KUCHING: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen, nurture and develop business events.
UPM Vice-Chancellor Datuk Professor Dr Mohd Roslan Sulaiman stated that the collaboration is part of UPM’s strategic plan to boost industry and community network services.
“UPM is strengthening collaborations with synergistic partners in organising conferences and business events, especially in Sarawak to achieve the university’s goal of improving our country’s industries and society,” he said.
The recent MoU signing in Putrajaya was witnessed by Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Datuk Snowdan Lawan, who represented Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Snowdan said conferences are a vital platform to encourage continuous discussions and problem-solving via research.
Hence the reason the Ministry awarded a three-year research grant amounting to RM2.5 million to the Borneo Ethnic Research Centre at UPM Bintulu Campus for the Pehin Sri Adenan Satem Research Chair in October 2021.
“The Research Chair is a joint venture between UPM and the Sarawak government, under MTCP to preserve our culture and heritage treasures through research — focusing on culture, language,human thoughts, art customs and traditional heritage.”
Meanwhile, BESarawak’s chief executive officer Amelia Roziman said that BESarawak’s support goes beyond helping planners to develop their events and wants them to make the most out of it.
“The intangible values of business events are just as important as economic returns and we want to help planners design their legacies effectively.
“I am very proud to see UPM’s legacy unfolding with this collaboration,” Amelia said.
Sarawak has been the destination of choice for many of UPM’s past conventions and exhibitions.
UPM also caught Sarawak’s attention by focusing on topics of interest to the Sarawak government such as agriculture, basic infrastructure, transport and human capital — a few key economic sectors found in the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
