TUESDAY, 13 JANUARY – Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) through the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (IBTP) had for the first time held a foster programme with students from Japan.

UMS Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd. Harun Abdullah said the foster programme held for three days, involved 12 students from Keisei Super Science High School.

“Through this programme, students will stay with their host families and will participate in activities related to the environment and conservation,” he said at the foster programme event.

Datuk Harun himself fostered two children and said that the programme provided an opportunity to forge close relationships between students and host families, where both parties would have the opportunity to learn about each other’s cultural background which are totally different.

Meanwhile, IBTP Director, Prof. Dr. Charles S. Vairappan said Keisei High School had started visiting IBTP since last year to focus on the efforts on tropical biodiversity conservation.

Such visits were initiated as a result of the collaboration and smart-partnership between UMS and Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido.

Also adopted foster children were Prof. Dr. Charles, Prof. Dr. Felix Tongkul, Prof. Dr. Vincent Pang, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Baba Musta, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kawi Bidin and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Henry Bernard. – MA (fl)


Photo: Ernest Berinus


Media and Citra Division