From developing international degree pathways to advancing ship-design research, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) is strengthening its academic and research connections with Türkiye through strategic collaborations involving two Turkish universities.
The milestone was marked by the exchange of Letters of Collaboration (LOCs) with Sabancı University and Yıldız Technical University (YTU) in Istanbul on 7 November 2026, as part of a Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA)-led international education mission held in conjunction with the official visit of Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister.
The collaborations open avenues for exploring joint academic programmes, doctoral research, student mobility and maritime engineering innovation, supporting UniKL’s broader internationalisation agenda and efforts to develop globally connected, industry-ready talent.
Under the collaboration with Sabancı University, UniKL will explore the development of joint bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes, including curriculum mapping, academic delivery arrangements and potential pathways for students to pursue internationally connected qualifications.
The two institutions will also explore doctoral cotutelle arrangements involving joint supervision and collaborative research, providing opportunities for researchers to engage with academic expertise across institutional and national boundaries.
These proposed initiatives are intended to strengthen postgraduate research development while supporting UniKL’s aspirations in academic innovation, international research collaboration and global talent development.
Any new degree programme or doctoral arrangement will remain subject to separate agreements, academic requirements and the necessary institutional and regulatory approvals.
The engagement builds on MARA’s existing educational presence in Türkiye, where 17 MARA-sponsored Malaysian students were pursuing bachelor’s degree studies at Sabancı University as of October 2026.
The students were enrolled across seven programme fields, including computer science and engineering, mechatronics engineering, molecular biology and bioengineering, data science, finance, materials science and electronics engineering.
Their participation reflects MARA’s continuing efforts to expand international education opportunities for Malaysian students, providing an existing foundation for further academic cooperation.
Beyond academic programmes, the collaboration with Yıldız Technical University brings a specialised research dimension through proposed joint studies in ship design and maritime engineering.
A key area being explored is ship-model testing using complementary research facilities at both universities.
YTU’s wave-tank facilities support shallow-water studies, while UniKL Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology (UniKL MIMET) offers facilities for deep-water research.
By bringing together these different research capabilities, the universities aim to explore opportunities for collaborative investigations in ship design, model testing and related maritime engineering applications.
Specific technical capabilities, research priorities and testing arrangements will be determined through further discussions between the institutions’ research teams.
The proposed collaboration also provides a platform to explore joint research publications, competitive research grants, academic mobility, research facility access and industry engagement.
For UniKL, the initiative represents an opportunity to further develop its maritime research network while connecting institutional expertise with international engineering capabilities.
The exchange of collaboration documents was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, alongside MARA Chairman Datuk Wira Dr. Asyraf Wajdi Dato’ Haji Dusuki and MARA Deputy Director-General (Education) Shahrizal Mohd Saderi.
Representing UniKL was Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Kushsairy Abdul Kadir, while Sabancı University was represented by Prof. Dr. Cem Güneri, Vice President for Education, and Evrim Güngör, International Exchange and Cooperation Manager.
Yıldız Technical University was represented by Prof. Dr. Güleda Engin, Vice-Rector for Research and Planning.
The high-level engagement reflects the continuing efforts of MARA and its higher education institutions to strengthen Malaysia–Türkiye cooperation through academic development, technical expertise and collaborative research.
Prof. Dr. Kushsairy emphasised that the initiative should generate meaningful opportunities extending beyond the formal exchange of collaboration documents.
“Our aim is to build partnerships that open new opportunities for students, expand collaborative research and deliver outcomes beyond the exchange of documents,” he said.
He added that the proposed collaboration with Sabancı University is aligned with UniKL Beyond 2030, particularly the university’s aspirations in research excellence, academic innovation and globally connected talent development.
The latest engagement also builds on UniKL’s existing academic relationships in Türkiye, including cooperation with Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Istanbul Technical University and Yıldız Technical University.
The initiatives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, through international degree pathways and postgraduate education; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, through prospective engineering research and technological innovation; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through cross-border academic and research cooperation.
