By: Dr. Okta Nurika, Prof. Dr. Che Zalina Zulkifli, Dr. Mad Helmi Bin Ab. Majid, Dr. Nor Asiah Mohamad@Razak, Dr. Salem Abdullah Salem Garfan, Dr. Suhazlan Bin Suhaimi.
Semenyih, 7 May 2026: International participants of Young Scientist@UPSI program enjoyed a fusion of cuisine treat by the legendary Elda’s farmhouse. The delicious meals were prepared by the participants themselves who crafted varieties of popular Uzbek food, which were then served with local Malaysian dishes provided by Elda’s staff.
The cultural event also showcased Uzbekistani and Malaysian traditional dance performances in front of VIP guests, which include ambassadors and diplomats from both sides accompanied by Semenyih member of parliament (MP), Semenyih state legislative assembly member (ADUN), Semenyih head of village and community, UPSI’s top management, UPSI Holdings Sdn Bhd (UHSB), students, and representations from World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF-Malaysia).
This culture engagement may solidify the existing bilateral relationship that is already benefiting the two nations through educational and technological events. Historical records show the role of Malaysia in advancing Uzbekistan via expert advises and adjunct lectures.
The 31 Uzbekistan nationals are currently undergoing 2 months of scientific trainings at UPSI starting from 23 March until 22 May 2026 – one of continuous high impact initiatives from Government-to-Government (G2G) forum at UPSI in February 2025. The same forum also came up with the establishment of higher education consortium at Ajou University in Tashkent, which is also the main international centre for UPSI in Uzbekistan. Furthermore, they are highly committed in building their internship report while doing collaborative research with UPSI.
Prof. Dr. Che Zalina Zulkifli of EduGreen@UPSI as the main coordinator of all Uzbekistani higher education institutions towards Malaysia continues to become an active initiator of new collaborations that facilitate progress in both countries.