{"id":61003,"date":"2026-07-24T15:29:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T15:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/?p=61003"},"modified":"2026-07-24T15:29:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T15:29:16","slug":"southern-private-schools-confederation-association-sps-partners-with-universiti-utara-malaysia-uum-ranked-11th-in-asean-to-elevate-islamic-private-education-to-international-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/?p=61003","title":{"rendered":"Southern Private Schools Confederation Association (SPS) Partners with Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Ranked 11th in ASEAN, to Elevate Islamic Private Education to International Standards"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reported from Malaysia by Ustaz Abdul Shakur bin Shafie (Abdul Suko Dina)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad, those who follow in his footsteps, and all readers.<\/p>\n

On July 22, 2026<\/strong>, the Southern Private Schools Confederation Association, led by its President, Dr. Khodaderi Yinsen<\/strong>, along with a delegation of executives, met and held discussions with top executives of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)<\/strong>, Malaysia, led by Prof. Dr. Ahmad Martadha Mohamed<\/strong>, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UUM. The meeting aimed to drive academic cooperation and elevate Islamic private schools and educational institutions in Southern Thailand toward international standards.<\/p>\n

In-Depth Strategic Cooperation Issues<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This vital discussion focused on integrating cooperation across multiple dimensions to prepare youth and educational personnel for the 21st century<\/strong>, comprising:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Higher Education Pathways:<\/strong> Opening seamless opportunities for Grade 12 (Matthayom 6) students in Southern Thailand to pursue higher education at UUM.<\/li>\n
  • Personnel Capacity Building:<\/strong> Supporting skills development training for teachers, as well as opportunities to pursue Master’s and Ph.D. degrees through both self-funded and university-sponsored scholarships.<\/li>\n
  • International Exchange Programs:<\/strong> Encouraging students and personnel to participate in short-term and long-term exchange programs.<\/li>\n
  • Joint Academic Activities:<\/strong> Creating platforms for learning exchange at the ASEAN regional level.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Solving the “5-6 Month Gap” Challenge: Turning it into a Golden Opportunity for Thai Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    According to previous preliminary discussions, Thai students who graduate in March<\/strong> often face a gap period of about 5 to 6 months<\/strong> waiting for the UUM academic semester to begin in September<\/strong>, which may cause hesitation or lead them to change their minds and study elsewhere.<\/p>\n

    Proposed Solutions and Proactive Measures<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Utilize grades from the first 5 semesters<\/strong> for initial application, similar to universities in Thailand, so that students can be confident whether or not they will be admitted to UUM in the future.<\/p>\n

    Furthermore, both parties agreed to maximize the period between March and August<\/strong> through various preparatory programs, including:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Summer Camp \/ Intensive English Camp:<\/strong> A 2\u20133 week<\/strong> program to practice English communication skills in real-life situations, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence for students who already have a good foundation but lack confidence in language use.<\/li>\n
    • Language and Certification Preparation:<\/strong> Intensive tutoring for exams such as IELTS<\/strong> and MUET<\/strong> to ensure learners have their test scores ready prior to enrollment.<\/li>\n
    • Campus Culture and Life Curriculum:<\/strong> To provide comprehensive pre-enrollment preparation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Taking the First Step: English Camp and Expediting the MoU<\/strong><\/h2>\n
        \n
      • Establishment of a Secretariat:<\/strong> To coordinate and continuously drive cooperation, with Prof. Hasrun<\/strong> serving as the primary coordinator on the UUM side.<\/li>\n
      • Official MoU Signing:<\/strong> Preparing the procedures for signing a Memorandum of Understanding in the near future.<\/li>\n
      • Pilot Project:<\/strong> Launching an English Camp<\/strong> as the initial project to develop language skills and build confidence before expanding into other areas of cooperation.<\/li>\n
      • Additional Benefits:<\/strong> Considering scholarships for high-potential Master’s and Ph.D. students, as well as coordinating with EMGS<\/strong> to review special tuition fee structures for ASEAN students.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Global Status of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        National Level (Malaysia)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
          \n
        • Ranked 10th<\/strong> in the country (6th<\/strong> among public universities).<\/li>\n
        • Ranked No. 1 in Malaysia<\/strong> for Accounting and Finance<\/strong> (QS World University Rankings by Subject).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Regional Level (ASEAN and Asia)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
            \n
          • Ranked 65th<\/strong> in Asia.<\/li>\n
          • Ranked among the Top 11 universities in ASEAN<\/strong> according to THE Asia University Rankings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Global Level<\/strong><\/h3>\n
              \n
            • Ranked within the 491st\u2013540th<\/strong> bracket globally (QS<\/strong>).<\/li>\n
            • Ranked within the 401st\u2013500th<\/strong> bracket globally (THE<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              This cooperation marks a significant milestone for the Thai private education sector and the Southern Border Provinces in transcending limitations, connecting educational networks with top-tier ASEAN universities, and building a secure educational future for sustainable human resource development.<\/p>\n

              \"\" \"\" \"\" \"\" \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

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              Reported from M…<\/p>\n

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              <\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":61010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[25,9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61003"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=61003"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61012,"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61003\/revisions\/61012"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/61010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=61003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=61003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmcnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=61003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}