BACHOK — In a concerted call to action, the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan Dr. Tengku Muhammad Faiz Petra has proposed a strategic alliance between Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), the state government, and the private sector to further the development of Kelantan.

According to BARNAMA News Agency, who also holds the position of UMK pro-chancellor, the university’s expertise, the government’s resources, and the private sector’s investment funds can, through synergized efforts, significantly improve the welfare of Kelantan’s residents. This statement was made during the university’s 13th convocation ceremony at Dewan Tuanku Canselor, UMK Bachok, which was attended by notables including Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud.

Dr. Tengku Muhammad Faiz outlined a vision where land and other resources would be optimized, such as transforming an area of UMK Bachok into a vibrant business hub. This initiative, he stated, would serve dual purposes: enhancing the university’s financial sustainability and underlining UMK’s reputation as a premier entrepreneurial university.

Further reinforcing this development as a stimulus for socio-economic progress, the Tengku Mahkota emphasized the potential impact on the local community and the broader state economy.

UMK vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr. Razli Che Razak reported the university’s noteworthy achievement of a 92.5 percent graduate employability rate as of February 2023, which is above the target of 91 percent set for the year. Additionally, the rate of graduate entrepreneurs stands at 10.9 percent, also exceeding the university’s goal.

Prof Razak expressed confidence in UMK’s trajectory toward becoming the top entrepreneurial university in ASEAN by 2026 and in Asia by 2030.

The convocation ceremony marked the graduation of 2,839 students, awarding degrees to 25 PhD candidates, 75 Master’s degree recipients, and 2,739 Bachelor’s degree holders.