Consul-General Visits the School of Social Sciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia
2026/10/15
On October 15th, Mr. Shinya Machida, Consul-General of Japan in Penang, visited the School of Social Sciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He received a briefing from Associate Professor Dr. Mohamad Shaharudin Samsurijan, Dean of the School, Dr. Nur Hafeza Ahmad Pazi, and other faculty members on the School’s Japanese Studies initiatives, its plan to establish a Bachelor of Japanese Liberal Studies programme, and exchanges with Japanese universities. They also exchanged views on further promoting academic and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Malaysia.
The School of Social Sciences has been conducting research on Japanese society, history, culture, and other subjects, while working towards establishing a new undergraduate programme combining Japanese Studies and Japanese language education with a broad range of disciplines, including the social sciences. The School has also been actively promoting student and academic exchanges with Japanese universities, including Soka University and Rikkyo University, as well as Japanese Studies activities supported by the Japan Foundation. Through these initiatives, the School aims to strengthen its role as a hub for Japanese Studies in northern Malaysia.
During the meeting, the School outlined its plan to organise an international academic exchange programme on Japanese Studies in 2027, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Malaysia. The School also expressed its intention to further strengthen cooperation with Japanese universities, Japanese companies, and the local Japanese community. Mr. Machida highlighted the commonalities between Japan and Malaysia as maritime nations and their shared fundamental values and emphasised the importance of exchanges among younger generations who will shape the future of bilateral relations. He expressed his expectations for the further development of Japanese Studies at USM and the promotion of academic and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Malaysia.
The Consulate-General of Japan in Penang will continue to support the development of Japanese Studies and Japanese language education at USM and other universities in northern Malaysia and will make every possible effort to further promote academic and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Malaysia.
The School of Social Sciences has been conducting research on Japanese society, history, culture, and other subjects, while working towards establishing a new undergraduate programme combining Japanese Studies and Japanese language education with a broad range of disciplines, including the social sciences. The School has also been actively promoting student and academic exchanges with Japanese universities, including Soka University and Rikkyo University, as well as Japanese Studies activities supported by the Japan Foundation. Through these initiatives, the School aims to strengthen its role as a hub for Japanese Studies in northern Malaysia.
During the meeting, the School outlined its plan to organise an international academic exchange programme on Japanese Studies in 2027, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Malaysia. The School also expressed its intention to further strengthen cooperation with Japanese universities, Japanese companies, and the local Japanese community. Mr. Machida highlighted the commonalities between Japan and Malaysia as maritime nations and their shared fundamental values and emphasised the importance of exchanges among younger generations who will shape the future of bilateral relations. He expressed his expectations for the further development of Japanese Studies at USM and the promotion of academic and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Malaysia.
The Consulate-General of Japan in Penang will continue to support the development of Japanese Studies and Japanese language education at USM and other universities in northern Malaysia and will make every possible effort to further promote academic and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Malaysia.