Downes and Yatimah exchange documents. Rohani is at second right.
KUCHING: The University of Reading Malaysia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department for Women’s Development, which comes under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
University Provost and CEO Prof Tony Downes and department director general Datuk Yatimah Sarjiman signed the MoU witnessed by Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.
The MoU seeks to encourage and promote cooperation and collaboration in areas such as professional development, education, economy, health and well-being, as well as safety and law.
“The ministry has launched Women Empowerment Year 2018 (TMW18) throughout this year, a national initiative, to empower and drive women into the fourth industrial revolution with focused preparation, we are excited and happy and look forward to the collaboration with the Department for Women’s Development particularly in the five areas in the strategic clusters in the TMW18 (health, safety, economy, culture and education), which our MoU focuses on. This is also part of our social responsibility towards the community,” Downes said.
“Some of our planning with the Department for Women’s Development is to organise workshops and talks delivered by our Henley Business School Malaysia, one of the best business schools in the world on business and entrepreneurship. Apart from that, our School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences will contribute in giving seminars on psychology and wellbeing of women in the workforce. We will also jointly organise events to promote health, safety, economy, and education for empowering women, family and the community, which is aligned with TMW18’s objective.”
Department for Women’s Development Johor director Mohamad Ali Taib said he is confident the MoU with university, which is ranked among the top 200 universities in the world, will lead to a positive outcome.
“I believe they have strong resources such as the academic team, the best in their field to contribute in the efforts to empower women, family and the community,” he said.