Kyoto, Japan, 19 May 2026 – Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School (AAGBS), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), continued to strengthen its international engagement through participation in the ABEST21 International Annual Conference 2026, held at the Kyoto International Conference Center, Japan.

The conference brought together representatives of ABEST21-accredited business schools, academic leaders, policymakers, and higher education practitioners from around the world to discuss contemporary issues and future developments in management and business education.

Representing AAGBS, the Dean attended the annual conference and symposium, which focused on the theme “Nurturing Human Resources and Developing Competitive Educational Programs in the Global South.” The event provided a valuable platform for sharing experiences, exchanging best practices, and exploring innovative approaches to enhancing educational quality and institutional competitiveness.

AAGBS’ participation in the conference was particularly significant as the School recently achieved its ABEST21 Re-Accreditation, a recognition that reflects its continued commitment to academic excellence, quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement in postgraduate business education.

Through active involvement in ABEST21’s international activities, AAGBS remains committed to strengthening global partnerships, benchmarking against international standards, and advancing its mission of producing future-ready leaders and professionals capable of contributing to sustainable organisational and societal development.

The conference also offered opportunities to expand collaborative networks with fellow accredited institutions and gain insights into emerging trends shaping the future of business education worldwide.

As AAGBS continues its journey towards greater international recognition and impact, participation in global platforms such as ABEST21 reinforces the School’s dedication to excellence and continuous improvement in higher education.

"Empowering Future Leaders Through Global Excellence."

Key Takeaways

• Strengthened international engagement through participation in a globally recognised business education conference.
• Gained valuable insights into emerging trends and future developments in management and business education.
• Expanded collaborative networks with ABEST21-accredited institutions and international higher education leaders.
• Benchmarked best practices in educational quality, institutional competitiveness, and accreditation standards.
• Reinforced AAGBS’ commitment to global excellence, continuous improvement, and academic quality.

 

On 15 May 2026, a delegation from Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School (AAGBS), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), successfully conducted a benchmarking visit to the School of Business and Economics (SBE), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). The delegation had the opportunity to learn from UPM’s experience as the only institution in Malaysia to hold the prestigious Triple Crown Accreditation: AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA.

The benchmarking visit provided valuable insight into accreditation strategies, assurance of learning processes, faculty engagement, stakeholder collaboration and best practices. The AAGBS delegation also toured SBE’s facilities and exchanged ideas on initiatives to enhance teaching, research and student development.

AAGBS extends its sincere appreciation to the School of Business and Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, for their warm hospitality and for generously sharing their knowledge and experience.

Key Takeaways

• Gained insights into best practices in accreditation management and quality assurance.
• Strengthened understanding of assurance of learning and stakeholder engagement.
• Exchanged ideas on innovative initiatives in teaching, research, and student development.
• Explored opportunities for future collaboration in academic excellence and institutional development.

 

A focus group session was successfully conducted on 23 April 2026 at the Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School (AAGBS), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), as part of the data collection process for Work Package 4 (WP4) under the Overcoming Digital Divide in Europe and Southeast Asia (ODDEA) project. This project is funded under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Staff Exchange programme.

The session was organised by the ODDEA research team at UiTM, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azlina Hanif, with team members Prof. Dr. Tan Peck Leong, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arlinah Abd Rashid, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nor Irvoni Mohd Ishar. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Zoel-Fazle Omar, who guided participants through a series of structured questions aimed at eliciting insights on the current state of digitalisation, challenges, and opportunities within the Malaysian context.

The focus group brought together a diverse group of participants from industry and relevant organisations, including representatives from Progressture Solar, Malaysian Cryptology Technology and Management Centre, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Sime Motors, Mitsubishi, and the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM). The participants included Dr. Muhammad Haziq B. Mohammed, Mdm Hazlin Abd Rani, Mdm Jocelyn Chan, Dr. Muhammad Sufyan Basri, Mr. Loo Chuan Wei, Mr. Shah Redza Shahrin, Dr. Solahuddin Shamsuddin, and Ms. Sarah Mock.

The primary objective of the session was to gather qualitative insights to support the development of detailed, country-specific micro datasets, contributing to a deeper understanding of the digital gap at the national level. The discussion provided valuable perspectives on digital adoption, institutional factors, and sectoral differences, which will inform WP4’s analysis and contribute to evidence-based policy recommendations.

The session concluded with strong engagement from participants, reflecting the relevance of the research and the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in addressing the digital divide.