Oleh: Dr. Nor Asiah Mohamad@Razak dan Profesor Dr. Che Zalina Zulkifli
Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) continues to expand its global academic footprint through the appointment of Dr. Nor Asiah Mohamad@Razak as a Visiting Lecturer at Ajou University Tashkent (AUT), Uzbekistan.
This international engagement, conducted under the Malaysia–Uzbekistan Higher Education Consortium, represents a significant milestone in the Edu-Green @ UPSI initiative—an effort that integrates sustainability, smart technology, and humanised digital education within a global context.
As part of her visiting lectureship, Dr. Nor Asiah played a key role in supporting the International Conference on Emerging Trends in the Green Economy at Ajou University, Tashkent. The conference brought together delegates from nine countries, including His Excellency Ilham Tuah bin Illias, Ambassador of Malaysia to Uzbekistan, and senior representatives from international organisations, MARDI, and WWF-Malaysia.
Serving as co-chair alongside Dr Zulfya from Ajou University, Dr. Nor Asiah contributed to discussions on digital transformation, sustainability, and innovationin education. Her academic leadership received special recognition during the conference’s opening session, officiated by the Malaysian Ambassador.
In conjunction with the conference, Dr. Nor Asiah also conducted a one-month International Course titled “Digitalisation in Education and Academic Writing Skills”, designed to equip educators and researchers with advanced competencies in digital pedagogy and scholarly writing.
Earlier in the same month, Dr Nor Asiah represented UPSI at the International Innovation Week Uzbekistan 2025(InnoWeek 2025), held in Tashkent. Under the Edu-Green@UPSI, in collaboration with Ajou University Tashkent, she showcased smart composting, smart farming technologies, and the Edu-Green eSports module — innovations designed to promote sustainable learning ecosystems.
The Edu-Green booth attracted wide attention from innovators and policy leaders. During the event, Prof. Dr. Che Zalina Zulkifli, Coordinator of the Malaysia–Uzbekistan Higher Education Consortium, received the Women Inventors Award, further strengthening UPSI’s visibility and leadership in sustainability-driven innovation.
Beyond teaching and exhibitions, Dr Nor Asiah initiated collaborative publication projects with Ajou University Tashkent, through the Journal of ICT in Education (JICTIE), published by UPSI’s Faculty of Computing and Meta-Technology. The initiative aims to guide emerging scholars in academic writing, publication ethics, and joint research on green innovation and digital education. This partnership demonstrates how academic exchange can create sustainable, cross-border research ecosystems that benefit both institutions and the wider higher education community.
The conference engagements build upon the momentum of the first Edu-Green international conference held in February 2025. Together with Dr Okta’s earlier programme in April 2025, Dr Nor Asiah’s contribution marks the second major milestone of the Edu-Green initiative, affirming UPSI’s commitment to global academic diplomacy and sustainable technology integration.
These joint efforts—supported by MARDI, WWF-Malaysia, and the Malaysia–Uzbekistan Higher Education Consortium—continue to position UPSI as a catalyst for regional collaboration in sustainability, digital innovation, and higher education excellence.
Dr. Nor Asiah’s visiting lectureship embodies UPSI’s mission to humanise education through global partnerships. Her leadership in academic capacity building, green innovation, and digital education reflects the university’s enduring dedication to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and nurturing future-ready scholars.
Through the Edu-Green @ UPSI framework, Malaysia and Uzbekistan are jointly paving the way toward a more sustainable, interconnected, and innovative academic future.