By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH – Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO) has made history by organising the Internationalisation Programme: Community, Knowledge & Technology – Uniting the Ummah Across Borders in Betong, Thailand, reinforcing regional ties through education and community service.
The three-day initiative, held on June 20, brought together over 30 participants from PUO, Selayang Community College and Gerik Community College.
Key activities included basic electrical wiring, beautification works at Maahad Tahfiz Darul Quran Betong, and informal knowledge-sharing sessions and religious talks with local students.
A visit to the Betong Industrial & Community Education College (BICEC) also paved the way for potential long-term collaboration in technical training, student mobility, academic exchanges and joint research between Malaysia and Thailand.
Programme director Asmawi Muda @ Othman said the effort proved that TVET education could transcend physical and cultural boundaries, uniting knowledge, technology and Islamic brotherhood on an international scale.
The closing ceremony was marked by a note of appreciation from a Maahad Tahfiz representative, who described the initiative as a testament to Malaysia’s concern for the development of Islamic communities in the region.
The programme also directly supports institutional KPIs in international mobility, student character building and global community engagement, in line with the Higher Education Ministry’s aspiration to produce graduates who are competitive, of noble character and globally minded.
