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YBhg Dato' Seri Ir Dr. Zaini bin Ujang, General Secretary of the Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education, graced the cooperation, while YBhg. Dato’ Prof. Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, the Vice Chancellor of UPM, and Dr. Jean-Marc Roda, Regional Director of ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â, promoted it alongside prominent figures including YBhg. Prof. Ir. TS. Dr. Khalina Abdan, Prof. Dr. Shahrul Razid Sarbini and Dr. Norfaryanti Kamaruddin from UPM. The SALSA initiative, coordinated by UPM’s Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), aims to transform Forestry and agricultural landscapes through cutting-edge research and training programs tailored to the needs of Southeast Asia.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education strongly supports this initiative, underscoring the national priority of fostering global research partnerships to achieve sustainable development goals.

Revolutionizing Training Systems: TALENT MoA for Sustainable Plantation Landscapes

In another landmark collaboration, UPM and ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â graced the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for TALENT (Renovating Training Systems for Sustainable Plantation Landscapes in Southeast Asia). This program sets the stage for innovative training systems in agroforestry and plantation management, vital for the future of sustainable development in the region.

The ceremony was attended by Dr. Jean-Marc Roda, Regional Director of ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â, Dr. Alain Rival, Program Manager of TALENT at ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â, alongside UPM leaders such as Dr. Ruzana Adibah Mohd Sanusi and Dr. Syeed Saifulazry Osman Al Edrus, who spearhead agroforestry and TVET projects under TALENT. This initiative strongly emphasizes capacity-building for plantation landscapes, fostering a workforce ready to tackle environmental and social challenges in agriculture.

A Shared Vision for Sustainable Development

These events underscore the dynamic partnership between UPM, ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â, and Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education. The collaborations between SALSA and TALENT reflect a shared vision of driving innovation, sustainability, and education across Southeast Asia. The Ministry of Higher Education’s involvement ensures that these partnerships align with Malaysia’s broader goals of fostering academic excellence and international collaboration.

Dr. Jean-Marc Roda commended UPM’s leadership, stating, “Through SALSA and TALENT, we are building bridges across continents, combining expertise to address pressing global challenges.” Similarly, UPM’s leadership emphasized their role as a hub for research excellence in agriculture, forestry, and education.

These collaborations not only solidify Malaysia’s position as a leader in sustainable agriculture and forestry but also strengthen the bonds between Southeast Asia and global research institutions.