UiTM Sarawak, Co-opbank explore setting up centre of excellence

KUCHING: Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak is exploring a strategic collaboration with Co-opbank Pertama (CBP) to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on campus to strengthen students’ entrepreneurial capabilities and industry exposure.

UiTM Sarawak campus rector Professor Datuk Dr Firdaus Abdullah said the proposed centre would serve as a platform for sharing expertise, technology transfer, applied research and talent development aligned with industry needs.

“The initiative can become a catalyst for sharing expertise, technology transfer, applied research and talent development that is more relevant to industry requirements,” he said in a Facebook posting.

The initiative is among several areas of potential collaboration discussed during a courtesy visit by a CBP delegation to UiTM Sarawak’s Samarahan 2 campus. The CBP delegation was led by its branch manager Khairunissa Jaimin

Firdaus said UiTM Sarawak has also invited CBP to upgrade a lecture room into a Banking Simulation Room to give students practical exposure to the operations and management of financial institutions.

The university is also prepared to provide suitable space for CBP to organise programmes and activities involving the campus community.

He said the proposed collaboration could further include financial literacy briefings and programmes focusing on effective financial management for university staff and the surrounding community.

Other potential areas included corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives involving student volunteers, which would provide opportunities for them to engage with the community and better understand its needs.

Firdaus said UiTM’s aspirations go beyond producing graduates who are ready to enter the workforce, as the university also aimed to nurture a generation of entrepreneurs capable of creating opportunities, building businesses and generating economic value.

He said collaboration with CBP could help establish a conducive, inclusive and competitive entrepreneurial ecosystem to support students in exploring business opportunities and considering entrepreneurship as a future career.

He also highlighted the need to address challenges involving start-up capital through entrepreneurship competitions offering matching grants, with interested industry players invited to participate as strategic partners.

“I believe that through strategic collaboration between universities, industry, financial institutions and the community, a more sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem can be developed to produce competitive and independent graduates who can drive the country’s economic development,” he said.