Kuala terengganu: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Terengganu State Sports Council (MSNT) and the Terengganu Pro-Asia Cycling Team (TPCT) to enhance sports development in the state by leveraging scientific and academic expertise.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, UniSZA vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Fadzli Adam highlighted that the collaboration aims to establish productive, systematic, and sustainable networks between the university and external agencies, which will benefit both the community and the nation. The partnership covers a wide range of areas such as industrial training placements and the provision of physiotherapy and rehabilitation services to athletes. These services will be supervised by MSNT and TPCT through the National Sports Institute (ISN) Satellite Centre at UniSZA.

The MoU also includes the provision of professional advisory and consultancy services in health sciences, sports science, and athlete development. Prof Fadzli represented UniSZA at the MoU signing ceremony, while MSNT was represented by its director, Ahmad Shahrizal Yahaya, and TPCT by its chief executive officer, Che Ku Mohd Izmuddin Che Ku Mahmood. Hishamuddin Abdul Karim of the State Youth, Sports, and Non-Governmental Organisation Development Committee witnessed the signing.

Hishamuddin remarked that this collaboration not only strengthens the role of academic institutions in sports development but also enhances research opportunities, improves athlete performance, and expands sports science expertise in Terengganu. He emphasized the importance of scientific approaches, evidence-based research, and multidisciplinary expertise in sports development, making higher learning institutions like UniSZA crucial in building a high-performance sports ecosystem, particularly in sports science, athlete health, and holistic youth talent development.