Glyndŵr University Join Forces With Giant Of Malaysian Industry And Education

Glyndwr University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Majlis Amanh Rakyat, known as MARA.

MARA is an agency formed in 1966 to aid, train and guide Bumiputra (Malays and other indigenous Malaysians) in business.

As well as operating polytechnics, colleges and the University of Kuala Lumpur, it established Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA (MARA Advanced Skills College) and Institut Kemahiran (MARA Skills Institute) offering certificate and diploma programmes in engineering and technology.

The MoU will see both parties collaborate academically, sharing technology and expertise.

Glyndŵr Professor Brian Foxon, Director of International Operations, said: “Essentially, the MoU focuses on developing a partnership through courses in Malaysia and here in North Wales. It allows us access to all of their colleges, polytechnics and universities.

“Michelle Brown who covers this region on behalf of the International Office will work with our representative in Malaysia to develop this link further. They will give presentations to the students about coming to study in Wrexham and also discuss the delivery of some joint courses there.”

Prof Foxon added: “We have been strategically looking at Malaysia for some time and are now targeting Vietnam. We’re also developing links in the Gulf and Africa as well.

“A lot of the interest from overseas is in subjects such as Business, Computing and Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering. Art and design is especially popular in China.

“We try to play to our strengths in niche areas as Glyndŵr is still a very young university, though its reputation is growing all of the time.”

Prof Foxon said recruiting students from abroad was the “core business” of Glyndŵr University’s international department.

“On the back of that we occasionally see partnerships that we can establish such as this one with MARA, where we can collaborate in other ways as well,” he added.

“This agreement has taken two years; it can be quite a lengthy process.

“We knocked and knocked on the door but you’re just one of a hundred universities wanting to go into partnership with MARA.”

Prof Foxon said “pure luck” also has a part to play.

“While visiting a MARA college we met the principal and showed her a photograph of our University,” he said.

“It turned out she had studied at Wrexham in the early 1970s and was an alumni! That got us in to speak to the senior management, it was pure luck and once they saw how Glyndŵr had developed such strong links with UK industry, we went from strength to strength.”

For more information about Glyndŵr University internationally, visit the website: http://www.glyndwr.co.uk/en/Internationalstudents/Countries.