By: Khairul Anuar Muhamad Noh
SERDANG, 18 April – The International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences (I-AQUAS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) pioneered a collaborative research effort with the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan in the field of marine fish and prawn breeding.
NCKU, which posseses high technologies in producing disease-free parent stocks of tiger prawn and also in breeding and seeding of high-value grouper species, sealed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with UPM on collaborative research to intensify the aquaculture researches in new areas at I-AQUAS.
UPM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Dato’ Dr. Aini Ideris said that through the research collaboration, the aspects of expertise and technology sharing and transfer, and training will boost the performance of the newly-upgraded research institute, I-AQUAS and the country’s aquaculture industry in general.
“UPM always strives to enhance the level of researches in the field of agriculture, and through this MoU, both universities can benefit from the knowlege and technology sharing. UPM hopes that the National Cheng Kung University will become the main strategic partner for researches in the agricultural fields in UPM, with the aquaculture and aquatic science branches to begin with.
“This initiative is based on the visibility aspect of UPM, a major agricultural-based research university which offers aquaculture studies under the Faculty of Agriculture; and this is in line with the focus of NCKU in aquaculture researches,” said Prof. Aini.
She stated that the initiative towards generating cooperative funds through the ‘Taiwan’s New Southbound Project’ programme will be undertaken by both parties, especially with the signing of the UPM -NCKU memorandum of understanding.
“Among the frameworks of the implementation plan is to provide a platform for I-AQUAS researchers to obtain training and knowledge of new technologies in the aquaculture field from researchers of the NCKU Bioscience and Biotechnology College. Other beneficial scopes are the technical staff exchange and students mobility for the purpose of technical training which will also be carried out,” said Prof. Aini.
NCKU President, Prof. Huey-Jen Su said the MoU proves that Taiwan recognises UPM as its international strategic research partner in fish health aquaculture research projects.
“NCKU ranks 222 in the QS World University Rankings and is a Taiwanese public university that conducts agriculture-based programmes including aquaculture. The results of the university’s researches have been widely adopted in the development of the agricultural and aquacultural industries in Taiwan,” she said.
She added that the fishery sector, namely aquaculture is a primary and important agriculture-based economic sector for Taiwan, and it plays a leading role in strenghtening national food security while providing protein sources to its people.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Prof. Datin Paduka Dato’ Dr. Aini Ideris and Prof. Huey-Jen Su. Also present was I-AQUAS Director, Prof. Dr. Aziz Arshad. – UPM
