Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Bursa Malaysia Bhd have announced a collaborative effort aimed at improving financial literacy and practical investment education among university students. This partnership was formalized with the signing of a letter of intent (LOI) at the UMS Building, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of UMS’s Stock Trading Competition (STC), an initiative of the UMS Labuan Faculty of International Finance’s International Finance Club.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the new collaboration will lead to the establishment of the Bursa Young Investor Club (BYIC) at UMS Labuan International Campus (UMSKAL). This also confirms UMS’s participation in the Bursa Inter-Varsity Stock Challenge (BISC) 2025. Professor Dr Geoffrey Harvey Tanakinjal, dean of the UMSKAL faculty of international finance, mentioned that CGS International Securities Malaysia would serve as a mentor and official broker for UMS in the competition.

The LOI ceremony was led by UMSKAL director, Professor Dr Shamsul Bahari Shamsudin, and was attended by senior representatives from Bursa Malaysia, including AA Deepa and Saiful Azmi Johan, as well as dealer representatives from CGS International Securities, Ronnie Chai and Ananda Wong.

Dr Tanakinjal emphasized the strategic nature of the collaboration, which aims to promote investment awareness, foster financial literacy, and equip students with industry-relevant skills. He explained that the collaboration would provide students with access to structured educational programs, investment simulation tools, and industry exposure, thereby enhancing their practical competencies. He reiterated UMS’s commitment to offering both theoretical and real-world financial insights.

The establishment of BYIC at UMSKAL will be facilitated by LifeChamp Sdn Bhd, the appointed program manager by Bursa Malaysia. The university will support this initiative through facilities and a dedicated faculty advisor, while Bursa and LifeChamp will supply content, mentoring, and educational resources.

Dr Shamsul remarked that the collaboration reflects a shared responsibility to cultivate a financially literate generation of graduates. He noted that this partnership represents a significant milestone in industry-academia engagement, highlighting UMS’s ongoing dedication to youth development, national financial resilience, and transformative education aligned with national objectives.