The Faculty of Sports Science & Recreation (FSR), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) together with the International Martial Arts & Combat Sports Scientific Society (IMACSSS) and the Seni Gayung Fatani Malaysia Association have organized the 9th IMACSSS Conference and the 2nd Global Scientific Martial Arts and Cultural Congress (GSMACC) 2020 in Putrajaya, Malaysia from 10 to 12 October 2020.
The joint conference covered a host of topics, including sports science, social science, humanities, governance, innovations, inventions, culture, and tourism in relation to combat sports and martial arts. Participants of the joint conference were treated to a unique experience as various martial arts and combat sports workshops and performances were included in the itinerary in addition to the scientific presentations by more than 80 international and local speakers.
Due to the travel restrictions that are enforced in many parts of the world, 40 participating countries were able to benefit from the joint conference as all the sessions and related events were streamed online. Participants of the conference were also encouraged to submit a full paper that will be peer-reviewed and published in the Malaysian Journal of Sport Science and Recreation (MJSSR; ISSN: 1823-3198) among others.
MJSSR (http://mjssr.com/) is a free-to-publish, open-access, international refereed journal that publishes biannually and it is the official academic publication of FSR, UiTM. The journal is constantly open for article submission and is indexed in Excellence in Research Australia (ERA), Google Scholar, MyJurnal and MyCite.
A virtual memorandum of agreement (MoA) signing ceremony took place the following month between UiTM and the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) on 10 November 2020 with the purpose of establishing a program articulation between both parties.
The MoA was signed by Emeritus Professor Datuk Ir. Dr. Mohd Azraai Kassim, Vice-Chancellor of UiTM, Malaysia and Mr. Rowan Courtney-O’Connor, President and CEO of ICMS, Australia. Witnessing the MoA signing were Associate Professor Dr Mohad Anizu Mohd Nor, the Dean of FSR and Miss Jackie Chang, Manager of International Development Team, ICMS.
Under the three-year MoA, students enrolled in recognized courses at UiTM and those who have met the required conditions and standards that were set out will be given entry to appropriate courses conducted by ICMS, with exemptions granted. This collaborative partnership creates new opportunities for UiTM students and serves as a stepping-stone for those who are interested to further their studies in ICMS.
As an award-winning higher education institution, ICMS offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses that are accredited by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and the Australian Government Tertiary Education Quality Standards Authority (TEQSA).
Apart from the agreement, other collaborative arrangements such as subject(s) equivalency between FSR, UiTM, and ICMS Bachelor of Sports Management as well as mobility programs for students and lecturers were briefly discussed followed by a group photography session that preceded the end of the virtual signing ceremony.