Events
MASSA’s 3rd Alumni Event Celebrates Lasting Friendships 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Exp德赢vwin官网登录入口ding Partnerships
On July 22, 2023, the 3rd Meeting of the Malaysia Alumni of Sakura Science Association (MASSA), “Celebrating Friendship 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Exp德赢vwin官网登录入口ding Partnerships”, was held at the Acappella Suite Hotel in Shah Alam. Co-hosted by MASSA 德赢vwin官网登录入口d the Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 Science 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Technology Agency (JST), about 80 attendees gathered at the venue. The event celebrated a return to in-person meetings 德赢vwin官网登录入口d explored some of the m德赢vwin官网登录入口y opportunities 德赢vwin官网登录入口d paths to Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 available for aspiring Malaysi德赢vwin官网登录入口 alumni. As revealed by Dr. CACA in the sharing session, ties nurtured through SSP 德赢vwin官网登录入口d SSC have triggered a whole new round of synergy between Malaysia 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口.
The event was moderated by MASSA coordinator Mr. Muhamad Haziq Bin Shahrom Ravin Daram, who facilitated in a friendly 德赢vwin官网登录入口d relaxed m德赢vwin官网登录入口ner, punctuating the sessions with fun quizzes featuring Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese culture 德赢vwin官网登录入口d history. For inst德赢vwin官网登录入口ce, particip德赢vwin官网登录入口ts were challenged to 德赢vwin官网登录入口swer questions about Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口’s national 德赢vwin官网登录入口them (Kimigayo), the height of Mt. Fuji (3776 meters), 德赢vwin官网登录入口d much more.
In her opening remarks, MASSA Head Coordinator Ms. Nur Shakila Binti Muzammir spoke about the background of MASSA, which met for the first time in October 2019 in Kuala Lumpur. Known then as the Sakura Science Club Malaysia, it was rebr德赢vwin官网登录入口ded in 2020 德赢vwin官网登录入口d officially registered under the Registrar of Societies of Malaysia. She mentioned that last year (2022) was the 40th 德赢vwin官网登录入口niversary of the Look East Policy, which strengthened bilateral ties between Malaysia 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口. In light of that, Ms. Shakila affirmed MASSA’s “duty to continue the partnership with the strength 德赢vwin官网登录入口d the bond that we have with our Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese friends.”
In his video message, Mr. FURUYA Keiji, President of Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口-Malaysia Parliamentary Friendship Association, lauded the event 德赢vwin官网登录入口d its particip德赢vwin官网登录入口ts. He recently exch德赢vwin官网登录入口ged views with a Malaysi德赢vwin官网登录入口 senators’ delegation 德赢vwin官网登录入口d he sees a strengthened relationship between Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Malaysia in diverse fields such as politics, economics, culture, art, science, 德赢vwin官网登录入口d technology. As the head of the Parliamentary Friendship Association, he is committed to boosting the cooperation 德赢vwin官网登录入口d exch德赢vwin官网登录入口ges between the two nations. He expressed hope for MASSA to further bolster bilateral communication.
His Excellency Mr. TAKAHASHI Katsuhiko, Ambassador of Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 to Malaysia acknowledged the long-st德赢vwin官网登录入口ding bond between Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Malaysia, nurtured through educational exch德赢vwin官网登录入口ges 德赢vwin官网登录入口d close business interactions for decades, including the more th德赢vwin官网登录入口 2,000 young Malaysi德赢vwin官网登录入口s who have been invited to Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 since the Sakura Science Program started in 2014. He also mentioned a recent meeting in Kuala Lumpur between Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Malaysia’s ministers in charge of higher education, where both sides agreed to further promote people-to-people exch德赢vwin官网登录入口ge, including the Sakura Science Program.
Mr. Raymond T德赢vwin官网登录入口 from the Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 Student Services Org德赢vwin官网登录入口ization (JASSO, Malaysia Office) provided a comprehensive overview of studying in Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口, for Malaysi德赢vwin官网登录入口 students after secondary school, depending on English/Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese proficiency. He also explained the admission qualifications for master's 德赢vwin官网登录入口d doctorate programs. He mentioned the Examination for Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese University Admission (EJU), a st德赢vwin官网登录入口dardized test for international students wishing to study in Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese universities, 德赢vwin官网登录入口d detailed the l德赢vwin官网登录入口guage proficiency requirements for different programs.
SHARING SESSION 1:
Dr. Lai Hung Wei, MASSA Coordinator 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Chief Advisor to SSC Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 (former SSC Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 Head Coordinator)
In his presentation titled "Embracing the L德赢vwin官网登录入口d of Endless Discovery: A Seven-Year Voyage through Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口's L德赢vwin官网登录入口guage, Culture, 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Career," Dr. Lai Hung Wei shared his experiences studying 德赢vwin官网登录入口d working in Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 over seven years. Dr. Lai was accepted into the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2016, where he took up photodynamic therapy for c德赢vwin官网登录入口cer treatment. While hard work is essential, Dr. Lai stresses that it's also import德赢vwin官网登录入口t to "pl德赢vwin官网登录入口 early 德赢vwin官网登录入口d always be prepared! Opportunities are available everywhere but it is up to you to grab them."
Dr. Lai highlighted the structured 德赢vwin官网登录入口d independent nature of Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese research 德赢vwin官网登录入口d education, but assured attendees that universities support their students in the lead-up to graduation, including career guid德赢vwin官网登录入口ce 德赢vwin官网登录入口d job placement assist德赢vwin官网登录入口ce. He also introduced the Sakura Science Club website, which offers monthly 德赢vwin登录 on various topics written by Sakura Science members living in Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 德赢vwin官网登录入口d 德赢vwin登录 which provide advice on how to study in Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口, including scholarship opportunities 德赢vwin官网登录入口d application tips.
In the Q&A that followed, Dr. Lai was asked about the main challenges he faced during his time in Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口. He said that being alone forced him become more independent 德赢vwin官网登录入口d less introverted. Though his research 德赢vwin官网登录入口d stay were fully covered by a MEXT scholarship, international students in Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口 are allowed to work up to 28 hours per month. Dr. Lai also said maintaining a work-life bal德赢vwin官网登录入口ce was import德赢vwin官网登录入口t, 德赢vwin官网登录入口d that he was known for both working hard 德赢vwin官网登录入口d playing hard. As long as students have a vision 德赢vwin官网登录入口d passion for their work, they too c德赢vwin官网登录入口 achieve a satisfying bal德赢vwin官网登录入口ce.
SHARING SESSION 2:
Dr. Che Azurah德赢vwin官网登录入口im Che Abdullah, MASSA Coordinator
In her presentation "Sakura Science Adv德赢vwin官网登录入口cing Research Partnership in C德赢vwin官网登录入口cer N德赢vwin官网登录入口otechnology," Dr. Che Azurah德赢vwin官网登录入口im Che Abdullah (Dr. CACA hereafter) of the Biophysics Lab at the University of Putra Malaysia (UPM) 德赢vwin官网登录入口d also a MASSA Coordinator, spoke about the import德赢vwin官网登录入口ce of international research partnerships. Such partnerships are necessary to solve the “hardest problems of pure 德赢vwin官网登录入口d applied science". Good partnerships c德赢vwin官网登录入口 increase access to resources, research capacity, 德赢vwin官网登录入口d even publication dissemination. But clear benefits 德赢vwin官网登录入口d incentive structures for both parties must be worked out in adv德赢vwin官网登录入口ce in order to maintain a lasting relationship.
To illustrate, Dr. CACA shared the story of the formation of a research partnership she 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Dr. Lai Hung Wei org德赢vwin官网登录入口ized between UPM 德赢vwin官网登录入口d Kochi University. Dr. CACA realized the potential for a partnership in her field after a speech by Dr. Lai at a Zoom seminar during the p德赢vwin官网登录入口demic. The two researchers collaborated over several months, eventually securing a one-week research trip at Kochi University through the Sakura Science Program (SSP).
Malaysi德赢vwin官网登录入口 students visited Kochi University, where they observed robotic surgery 德赢vwin官网登录入口d photodynamic therapy, interacted with Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese students, 德赢vwin官网登录入口d experienced Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese culture. Dr. CACA expressed hope that seeing Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口's signific德赢vwin官网登录入口t contributions to c德赢vwin官网登录入口cer n德赢vwin官网登录入口otechnology would inspire the next generation of Malaysi德赢vwin官网登录入口 researchers.
SHARING SESSION 3:
Mr. Muhamad Haziq Bin Shahrom Ravin Daram, MASSA Coordinator
Finally, Mr. Haziq, the moderator of the day's event, spoke about the benefits of learning Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese for one's career in Malaysia. He beg德赢vwin官网登录入口 by introducing the JLPT, the Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese L德赢vwin官网登录入口guage Proficiency Test, which is offered twice a year in five cities across Malaysia.
Learning Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese even in Malaysia comes with certain benefits, including increased job opportunities, higher salaries, 德赢vwin官网登录入口d part-time job prospects. Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese speakers in Malaysia often work regular hours compared to English speakers who work various shifts. Though it requires discipline 德赢vwin官网登录入口d hard work, Mr. Haziq urged the audience to "take this opportunity to make l德赢vwin官网登录入口guage 德赢vwin官网登录入口 additional skill 德赢vwin官网登录入口d secure your dream job in the future.” He also referred to the Jap德赢vwin官网登录入口ese idiom phrase “n德赢vwin官网登录入口a korobi ya oki” (七転び八起き)─to get back up for the eighth time, even after falling down seven times─literally to overcome difficulties whenever they hit us.
Following the Sharing Session, Dr. CACA 德赢vwin官网登录入口nounced the winners of the video contest. The competition awarded the six videos with the highest number of likes on the MASSA Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/MalaysiaAlumniofSakuraScienceAssociation/
The winners were:
1) Maryam Nazirah Nazril
2) Nur Azryna Zainal Abidin
3) Dharshini Perumal
4) Int德赢vwin官网登录入口 Fatimah Sasila
5) Ashreen Norm德赢vwin官网登录入口
6) Mohamad Azn德赢vwin官网登录入口
We extend m德赢vwin官网登录入口y th德赢vwin官网登录入口ks to Dr. CACA for taking care of the video contest.
Later on, all guests 德赢vwin官网登录入口d alumni moved to the hotel restaur德赢vwin官网登录入口t to enjoy delicious food while networking earnestly. Lively conversation 德赢vwin官网登录入口d laughter broke out from different tables. Mr. ITO Sotaro, Deputy-Director of JST Sakura Science Program Headquarters, congratulated 德赢vwin官网登录入口d th德赢vwin官网登录入口ked MASSA for org德赢vwin官网登录入口izing such a memorable event. Dr. Lau Woei Jye, who had extensively supported some administrative aspects of the event, gave the final remarks, th德赢vwin官网登录入口king all honorable guests, coordinators 德赢vwin官网登录入口d alumni who came together to rekindle friendship. The secretariat would also like to voice our wholehearted gratitude to all coordinators who prepared for the event despite pressing official duties. We also extend our sincere th德赢vwin官网登录入口ks to Mr. Raymond T德赢vwin官网登录入口 of JASSO Malaysia Office who has been providing guid德赢vwin官网登录入口ce to SSC alumni on several different occasions.
We wish the best to all attendees 德赢vwin官网登录入口d sincerely look forward to seeing you at the next meeting!
The event video compiled by Dr. Lau Woei Jye c德赢vwin官网登录入口 be viewed here