KUALA LUMPUR: SME Bank and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) have joined hands to empower entrepreneurs through a lifelong learning Initiative.
This collaboration, sealed with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), highlights their commitment to boosting entrepreneurship in Malaysia's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector.
SME Bank president and chief executive officer Datuk Wira Dr Aria Putera Ismail said the importance of education and collaboration in driving SME growth.
He said the MoU aims to leverage UMK's academic expertise to provide tailored solutions for SMEs.
"At SME Bank, we recognise the paramount importance of education and collaboration in nurturing the growth of MSMEs. This MoU signifies our endeavour to leverage the academic expertise and resources of UMK to provide tailored solutions that align with the evolving needs of SMEs.
"Supported by the invaluable expertise of CEDAR, our wholly-owned subsidiary, which has successfully trained over 80,000 programme participants, we are confident that this collaboration will significantly propel entrepreneurship development forward," he said in a statement today.
UMK vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Razali Che Razak said" "This partnership is a testament to our dedication towards nurturing a conducive ecosystem for SMEs to thrive.
"As an entrepreneurial university with a special focus on entrepreneurship and enterprise study, UMK is committed to empowering future business leaders."
He added that by partnering with SME Bank, it aims to equip entrepreneurs with the necessary tools and knowledge to navigate the dynamic business landscape effectively.
Both parties will collaborate on a comprehensive range of activities including post-graduate and executive education programmes, collaborative research and development opportunities, utilisation of laboratory facilities, industrial attachment programmes, internship programmes, entrepreneurship development and financing assistance.