USM - SBS SIGNS MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MoA) WITH POLITEKNIK PEMBANGUNAN PERTANIAN MANOKWARI TO STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION
MANOKWARI, WEST PAPUA, INDONESIA, 7–8 July 2026 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) continues to strengthen its international partnerships through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Politeknik Pembangunan Pertanian (Polbangtan) Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia. This strategic collaboration aims to expand cooperation in education, research, innovation, human capital development, and technology transfer to support sustainable agricultural development and food security across the region.
USM was represented by Professor Ts. Dr. Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid, Chair of the Entomology and Parasitology Programme, School of Biological Sciences, who signed the Memorandum of Agreement on behalf of the University. The partnership will serve as a platform for both institutions to undertake a wide range of academic and research initiatives, including staff and student exchange programmes, joint research projects, scholarly publications, international seminars and workshops, industrial training, innovation development, and technology transfer.
During the visit, Professor Ts. Dr. Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid was also invited as the Keynote Speaker at the 7th National Seminar on Agricultural Development and Vocational Education, which brought together academics, researchers, students, and industry practitioners from across Indonesia.
He delivered a keynote address entitled "Molecular Ecology Insights for Decoding Breeding Patterns of Urban Insect Pests: Advancing Sustainable Management Strategies", highlighting the significance of molecular ecology approaches in understanding the breeding patterns of urban insect pests. His presentation focused on the application of molecular technologies to identify population structure, dispersal patterns, and reproductive dynamics of insect pests, providing a scientific foundation for the development of more sustainable, precise, and evidence-based pest management strategies.
According to Professor Abdul Hafiz, cross-border collaboration is essential for accelerating the exchange of knowledge, technology, and expertise in addressing global challenges such as climate change, invasive species, food security, and the increasing threats posed by insect pests to agriculture and public health.
Through the signing of this MoA, both institutions reaffirm their commitment to strengthening research and educational networks through the implementation of collaborative research projects, academic mobility programmes, postgraduate supervision, innovation development, and knowledge transfer activities that will benefit communities and industries in both Malaysia and Indonesia.
The signing of this Memorandum of Agreement reflects USM's continued commitment to expanding strategic international collaborations in line with its aspiration to be a globally recognised research-intensive university that contributes meaningfully to knowledge advancement, innovation, and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This partnership is expected to further strengthen academic ties between Malaysia and Indonesia, particularly in the fields of entomology, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and integrated pest management.