Universiti Malaya Sabah (UMS) will collaborate with China's Beihua University to explore Sabah's tremendous potential in traditional medicine and herb research.

UMS vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said that there are great opportunities in these fields as Sabah is a nature-rich state.

“Our diverse and rich nature with high economic value has the potential to be made into traditional medicines and related products,” he said when signing a letter of intent with Beihua University vice-principal Prof Yu Fanhua here recently.

He said UMS’ Faculty of Tropical Forestry and Tropical Biology and Conservation Institute would be involved in the collaboration.

Kasim said the collaboration would be vital to help increase awareness of traditional medicine's value, especially among the youth.

He said student and teacher exchange programmes, grants, research and test laboratory data sharing between both parties could be within the scope of the collaboration.

Expanding knowledge of alternative medicine in Sabah could complement modern medicine in facing the various challenges of the post-pandemic era, he added.