The BS Biochemistry program of the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) formalized its partnership with Universiti Malaya (UM), Malaysia’s top university, through an Overseas Internship Program (OIP) Agreement.
The aims of the program are: to establish collaboration between UPM and UM, and to foster tertiary education of the BS Biochemistry students through real world applications. Three BS Biochemistry students participated in the pilot OIP last July to August 2024 for a total of 240 hours of laboratory work at the Chemistry Department of UM in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They were Ms. Erin Patricia Del Rosario, Ms. Cathleen Bettina Baroy, and Ms. Eingel Heart Reyes. They were mentored by Dr. Noordini Mohamad Salleh, Dr. Arniza Khairani Binti Mohd Jamil, and Dr. Thorsten Heidelberg, respectively. Their internship topics were nanocellulose extraction, Raman spectroscopy, and sugar-based surfactants, respectively.
The OIP is a product of UPM’s initial benchmarking activity with UM last May 2023. The said agreement was signed by UPM’s Chancellor Michael Tee last July 22, 2024 and it was signed by UM’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Noor Azuan Abu Osman last August 23, 2024. The OIP Agreement was finally notarized in Manila last December 27, 2024. The OIP will run for three years.
Congratulations to the BS Biochemistry program for this meaningful partnership with our ASEAN neighbor.
– JAP Nuñez