By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin
Pix Izwan Azman

Bangi, 5 February 2015 – The National University of Malaysia (UKM) is to collaborate with the University of Nottingham in the medical field especially the care of stroke patients.

The two universities signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) here today for the supervision of PhD research, conducting joint research projects and exchange programmes for academic and clinical researchers.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Community Partnerships) Prof Dr Imran Ho Abdullah signed for UKM on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali while the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Provost of University of Nottingham Prof Chris Ennew represented the British university.

The MoU was inked following their collaboration in jointly organising a two day Long-Term Stroke Care Workshop which began today.

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Director of UKM Medical Centre (PPUKM) Prof Datuk Dr Raymond Azman Ali and Head of Rehabilitation and Ageing, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Professor Marion Walker signed as witnesses for the MoU.

Present were head of Industry and Community Partnerships of PPUKM Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh and Director of the Centre of International Relations (Global UKM) Prof Madya Dr Yazrina Yahya.

In his welcoming address Prof Imran expressed confidence of more cooperation between the two universities alluding to their fruitful cooperation in another field a few years ago.

Prof Ennew said the MoU is an appropriate measure and hoped for more cooperation in practical matters especially those that can build on their existing relationships.

She said her interest in stroke was brought about by personel experience when a close family member was paralysed and bed-ridden due to a stroke attack hoping that their collaboration would encourage more research on stroke care by those involved in the clinical care of such patients especially the aged.

The workshop was funded partly by the LifeCycle Initiative of United Kingdom and several fund-raising programmes such as the ‘Stroke Run’ by the University of Nottingham campus in Malaysia organised by Prof Walker.