A delegation from the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development (FCSHD), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), made a courtesy visit to the headquarters of Lembaga Amanah Kebajikan Masjid Negeri Sarawak (LAKMNS) in Kuching on 16 April 2025, to explore potential avenues for strategic collaboration. The engagement session was chaired by LAKMNS Chief Executive Officer, YBhg. Datuk Haji Abang Abdul Wahap bin Haji Abang Julai, who warmly welcomed the FCSHD delegation and expressed enthusiasm for future collaborative initiatives.
The visit aimed to initiate dialogue and foster institutional cooperation in areas aligned with both parties’ objectives, including education, capacity building, and community development. During the session, both institutions exchanged perspectives on current programmes and long-term aspirations, underscoring a shared commitment to advancing social well-being, particularly among underserved and rural communities.
YBhg. Datuk Haji Abang Abdul Wahap highlighted LAKMNS’s ongoing initiatives in mosque-based community empowerment, digital engagement, and educational outreach. He expressed openness to innovative partnerships that support LAKMNS’s vision of becoming a catalyst for positive societal transformation in Sarawak.
Leading the FCSHD delegation, Dean Dr. Hana Hamidi conveyed the faculty’s commitment to contributing academic expertise, research capacity, and community-oriented programmes. She also emphasised the faculty’s dedication to service-learning, knowledge dissemination, and fostering student involvement through experiential education.
Several collaborative prospects were discussed during the engagement. These included the implementation of internship programmes to provide hands-on experience for students, the development of joint research projects in areas such as sustainable development and technology innovation, and the organisation of knowledge-sharing sessions, including workshops and training modules. The dialogue also touched on the importance of knowledge transfer programmes targeting rural communities, the potential for consultancy support from FCSHD academics for LAKMNS projects, and the formulation of joint corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to deepen community engagement.
The session concluded with both parties expressing their intent to formalise the collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The forthcoming MoU will serve as a strategic foundation for sustained cooperation, enabling both institutions to synergise academic knowledge with grassroots initiatives to achieve meaningful, long-term societal impact.
This engagement reflects UNIMAS’s ongoing commitment to impactful partnerships that advance inclusive development and support the empowerment of local communities through education, innovation, and collaborative action.