The IPPTN research team, led by Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Morshidi Sirat, Dr. Ang Chooi Hwa, IPPTN Research Fellow, Professor Dr. Hazri Jamil, and Dr. Wan Chang Da, IPPTN’s former directors were involved in the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project (2018 - 2022) on Higher Education in Malaysia: Impacts of Study Abroad Programs on Academic Institutions. The team also includes researchers from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

The influence of study-abroad experiences on the development of higher education institutions in Malaysia was showcased in the Higher Education Seminar: The Impacts of Study Abroad on Higher Education Development in Malaysia, which took place on  9 May 2023 at UTM Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Kuala Lumpur. This seminar was organized by JICA and co-organized by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and the Sophia Education for Sustainable Development Project (Sophia-ESD).

The Director of IPPTN, Ts. Dr. Rohayati Mohd Isa was invited as the seminar's honorary guest. In her greeting address, she emphasised the significance of internalisation student policy, the effects of study abroad on the development of higher education institutions, and its role in influencing the evolution of a nation's higher education landscape.

Professor Emeritus Dato' Dr. Morshidi Sirat presented the keynote address titled "Higher Education Development and Study Abroad Experiences of Malaysian Faculty,” providing insights and provoking future reflection into the impact of study abroad and the quality of higher education.

Dr. Ang Chooi Hwa presented a case study on the impacts of studying abroad among USM academic staff, which included their advantages and challenges.

Congratulations to the IPPTN research team for their outstanding work.