West Visayas State University (WVSU) further strengthens international linkages as it officially marks a new partnership with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) on June 12, 2024 through a Letter of Collaboration (LOC) Signing Ceremony where university officials from both distinct universities were present.

The signing ceremony led by Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz WVSU President and Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic & International, solidifies both UTM and WVSU’s commitment to this collaboration.

Present in the signing ceremony were Prof. Edel Carmela Csoka, Director of WVSU International and Local Linkages Office; Dr. Greta G. Gabinete, Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension; Dr. Rosario Clarabel C. Contreras, Campus Administrator, WVSU Calinog Campus; Dr. Elias C. Olapane, Head, Campus Research, Innovation, and Development; Prof. Ts. Dr. Abd Latif Saleh, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, UTM Kuala Lumpur Campus and representatives from UTM International Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.

The two university heads expressed their excitement in collaborating on areas towards modeling best practices in research, academe, resource sharing, inclusive education and innovation in both institutions.

President Villaruz highlighted the significance of the WVSU team’s visit, expressing optimism about the positive impact it would have on research collaborations and academe. This visit laid the groundwork for a promising research and academic partnership.