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Forging new musical partnerships: Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University vice-chancellor and president Prof Emerita Datuk Ts Ir Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir (left) and Tianjin Conservatory of Music president Wang Hongwei (right) formalise their partnership with a signed MoU.

CHERAS: Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University has partnered with the Tianjin Conservatory of Music to explore initiatives that enrich the fields of music education and performance.

Inking a memorandum of understanding, both parties will commit to fostering cultural exchanges, nurturing talent development and advancing academic research.

¡°This will allow students to experience different musical styles, perform on larger stages and continuously expand their horizons, learning new knowledge and growing throughout their musical journeys,¡± said Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Institute of Music director Senior Prof Dr P'ng Tean Hwa.

Well-regarded for its traditional Chinese music programmes, this partnership with Tianjin is another high-impact collaboration to enhance Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­'s music offerings.

The University recently expanded the instrument options students can major in, from foundation to postgraduate levels.

Its Bachelor of Classical Music (Hons) programme now includes a range of traditional Chinese instruments such as guzheng, erhu, pipa, dizi (flute), sheng and yangqin.

¡°While Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ has long excelled in Western classical and contemporary music, this partnership allows us to collaborate with a renowned authority in traditional Chinese music.

¡°By integrating Tianjin¡¯s expertise, we ensure authenticity in our curriculum, and align with China¡¯s rich musical heritage.¡± Dr P¡¯ng explained.

Tianjin¡¯s president Wang Hongwei added that Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ was selected as a partner due to its well-established academic programmes and its high standing in the performing arts, citing its 42nd-place ranking globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

¡°Many young artists from China have chosen Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University for their studies and professional development.

¡°I believe this presents a great opportunity for collaboration between our institutions.¡±

To celebrate, both institutions held a concert at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University Kuala Lumpur campus, showcasing a unique fusion of Eastern and Western performances by students and faculty.

The event was attended by over 500 guests, including the Chinese Embassy Minister Zheng Xuefang and Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University deputy vice-chancellor (Research and Postgraduate) Distinguished Prof Dr Phang Siew Moi.

This partnership with Tianjin is the latest in a series of collaborations Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ has established with prestigious Chinese institutions, including the China Conservatory of Music and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Ranked in the world¡¯s top 1% in the QS World University Rankings 2025 by virtue of its top 265 ranking, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University stands out as one of Asia¡¯s top private universities.