First City University College (First City UC) and Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Furniture Industry Association (KLSFIA) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for affiliation and collaboration on 14 September 2016.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Dr. Ho Chee Cheong, Vice-Chancellor of First City UC and Dato’ Eric Lee, President of KLSFIA, and witnessed by Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Teo Chiang Liang, President of First City UC and Mr. Albert Khoo, Secretary-General of KLSFIA.

This collaboration widens and enhances the knowledge and experience of material and furniture production and design for further development of the students and the staff of the collaborating parties. The valuable exchange of professional knowledge and industry best practices with academic teaching and learning will enhance the quality of education offered to students of First City UC, who stand to benefit from the close industry linkage.

“We are delighted to enter into this collaboration with KLSFIA, as it will facilitate the mutual sharing of expertise and best practices in training, curriculum design, students’ internships, teaching and research development, and cultural affiliation. As an education provider, partnerships with esteemed organisations such as this will enable us to provide the best training methods and industry exposure to our students,” said Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Teo Chiang Liang, President of First City UC.

According to First City UC’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Ho Chee Cheong who officiated the ceremony, “In academia today, forging industrial-academic collaborations is very important and mutually beneficial for both parties. Industries are employers of our graduates,  and their feedback on our graduates’ competencies are invaluable input for us to improve and equip our students with the necessary knowledge and skills sets that meet the needs of industry. In addition, this feedback often results in academic programmes revisions and improvements. Ultimately, we provide well-trained manpower to support and sustain the industry. We ensure that our academic programmes remain relevant to meet the needs of the industry and raise the employability of our graduates.”

Dato’ Eric Lee Kong Sim, President of Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Furniture Industry Association (KLSFIA), elaborated that this MOU is part of their Adoption & Incubation Program to address the shortfall of new talent and quality staff entering the Woodworking and Furniture industry. By engaging First City University College in this program eventually KLSFIA hope to influence the curriculum and training program of the education field to ensure suitable teaching and training programs are exposed to the students enabling them to enter the industry suitably equipped and trained.