What Our Students Say About Us
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Looking back on my studies in E-Commerce at Xiamen University Malaysia, I am grateful for the platform and support provided by the university. This journey has not only strengthened my professional foundation, but also shaped a mindset of adaptability, continuous learning, and readiness for future challenges.★★★★★Wong Kang NingAlumni, Bachelor of Management in E-Commerce - Image
My journey at Xiamen University Malaysia began with curiosity about an unfamiliar world. Over the past few years, XMUM has given me the space to adapt, explore, and discover my direction. With the guidance of supportive teachers, a multicultural campus environment, and opportunities in research, competitions, and internships, I gradually built a stronger academic foundation and turned a small spark of curiosity into a lasting passion.★★★★★Li ZhanStudent, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering - Image
I once thought medicine only belonged to the world of Western medicine, until my studies at Xiamen University Malaysia opened another path for me. The Traditional Chinese Medicine programme allowed me to learn from classical theories, community medical services, research projects, and clinical training in China, gradually helping me see the depth and relevance of TCM. What began as an unfamiliar choice has become a field I hope to continue exploring with responsibility, curiosity, and courage.★★★★★Lim Jie YiStudent, Bachelor of Medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine - Image
My experience at Xiamen University Malaysia gradually helped me build a connection with China’s academic environment. Through English-taught mathematics courses, reading groups, competitions, and academic exchange opportunities, XMUM gave me the space to see a bigger world through mathematics. Research is a marathon; everyone may move at a different pace, but what matters more is whether we can keep moving forward.★★★★★Bryan Ng Zheng QuanAlumni, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics - Image
Studying English at Xiamen University Malaysia allowed me to explore language beyond the classroom. With lecturers who listened to my ideas, understood my perspective, and offered encouragement rather than criticism, I gained the confidence to think more deeply and creatively. My time at XMUM also helped me see language not only as a tool for communication, but as a way to understand history, culture, people, and the wider world.★★★★★Tan Ann NgeeAlumni, Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature - Image
I came to Xiamen University Malaysia without knowing exactly where EEE would take me, but I learned to find meaning through trying. In courses, competitions, student societies, and my final-year AI project, I gradually understood that engineering is not just about calculations or formulas, but about turning ideas into something useful and improving them through practice. My time at XMUM also helped me develop the engineering mindset and soft skills to communicate, work with others, and face real-life challenges with more confidence. I gained much more than I expected.★★★★★Lim Li ChuinStudent, Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering - Image
My journey at Xiamen University Malaysia was about much more than academic learning. It was a period of discovering new interests, building meaningful friendships, and learning how to step out of my comfort zone. Through classroom learning, student activities, and experiences beyond campus, I gradually became more confident, open-minded, and purpose-driven. This journey also taught me that education is not only about grades or certificates, but about how we think, connect with others, and find the direction that truly suits us.★★★★★Sanjaya JansonStudent, Bachelor of Management in International Business - Image
My years at Xiamen University Malaysia placed me in a cultural world I had never expected to enter. Through the Digital Media Technology programme, video-related coursework, and three years of hands-on experience, I gained practical experience in visual storytelling, editing, communication, and collaboration. More importantly, the people, stories, and cultural encounters I experienced at XMUM helped me see Malaysia from new perspectives.★★★★★Du HaoyuAlumni, Bachelor of Engineering in Digital Media Technology
See Our Highlights
XMUM 10th Anniversary Special Feature | The Silence That Changed Everything: My 8,000-Kilometer Journey
The first night in my single room at XMUM, sleep refused to come. My body was still running on Nairobi time, but that was not the real problem. It was not simply the excitement of finally being here either. What kept me awake was the silence: the absence of matatu engines at dawn, the missing sounds of my mother in the kitchen, and the sudden awareness that I was now 8,000 kilometers away from everything I knew.Back home, ambition and comfort existed side by side. After long commutes on the Wamasaa bus, I would return to the smell of ugali and sukuma wiki, my mother’s way of softening the exhaustion of the day. Dreams felt real, but still safely distant. Malaysia was just a name on a scholarship portal, a possibility that felt almost too far away to take seriously. I never imagined that clicking “submit” would one day mean waking up thousands of kilometers from home.The first month stripped me bare. I called home three times a day. My single room felt less like a space of independence and more like a cage. In the cafeteria, I watched groups of students laughing together while I sat alone, ordering nasi lemak every day because it was the Malaysian dish I had read about online. Each night brought the same question: Had I made a terrible mistake? I slowly learned that freedom often means trading the warmth of the familiar for the uncertainty of the new.But isolation also forces you to look up. And when I did, I found people reaching out.Dr. Abdulkhaliq taught me entrepreneurship, but what he really gave me was a mirror I did not know I needed. One afternoon after class, he asked about my journey. I told him about the matatu rides, the scholarship, and the loneliness of being so far from home. He leaned back, studied me for a moment, and said something that changed the way I saw myself:“You already are an entrepreneur. You invested three hours daily in your future before you had proof it would pay off. Now you are investing in discomfort. That is the real currency.” Image I had never seen myself that way. Back in Kenya, I thought I was simply surviving: enduring long commutes, chasing a certificate in full-stack development, and trying to keep my dreams alive. But Dr. Abdulkhaliq helped me reframe survival itself as entrepreneurial. If I could endure those long journeys for a future I could not yet see, what else could I build?Suddenly, entrepreneurship was no longer just a subject in class. It became a lens through which I understood my journey to Malaysia, my loneliness, and my growth. It became a framework for wanting more — not merely accepting opportunities, but learning how to create them.That realization changed everything. I stopped only attending classes and started paying attention to real-world problems I could help solve with the knowledge I was gaining. I stopped only making friends and started building teams. The same student who once called home three times a day was now staying up late brainstorming startup ideas, thinking about gaps on campus, and asking what I could create rather than simply consume.XMUM became the place where this transformation began to take shape. I joined the School of Computing and Data Science Student Council and helped organize events that brought students together. The cafeteria that once made me feel isolated slowly became a place of community and connection. I launched Amanah Logistics, a web application born from late-night brainstorming sessions and built with friends I had met in the very spaces where I once felt alone. Through opportunities facilitated by XMUM, I also attended events such as the ASEAN AI Summit, where I connected with professionals and saw how technology is shaping the region. Image Image I was not building a nation or changing the world overnight. I was building a life I could not have imagined two years earlier: a life where my study group includes voices from different countries, where my startup team meets in the library I once used as a refuge from loneliness, and where “investing in discomfort” has become more than a quote from a lecturer. It has become a way of living. Image On that first night, I was terrified of the silence. Now, I understand what it was making space for: my own voice. The voice that pitches Amanah Logistics to potential partners. The voice that contributes to student council discussions. The voice that now encourages freshmen who arrive looking as lost as I once did.Dr. Abdulkhaliq saw an entrepreneur in a lonely student who only wanted to stop feeling homesick. The XMUM scholarship saw potential in someone doing homework on crowded buses in Nairobi. Both gave me more than belief. They gave me a platform to prove myself, a community to grow with, and the space to transform long commutes into reclaimed hours of possibility. Image Because freedom, I have learned, is not only about climbing out of your own circumstances. It is also about turning around and helping those who are climbing behind you.It represents the belief that a student from Nairobi, once doing homework on a crowded matatu, could become someone who builds, leads, and gives back. By Abdifatah Ibrahim 2023/09Computer Science and Technology
Students Tackle Real-World Business Challenges at BCSC 3.0
The Xiamen University Malaysia Business Association (XMBA) organized the Business Case Study Competition (BCSC) 3.0 on 27 and 28 June 2026 at Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM). Centring on real-world industry challenges in Trustee Services and Wealth Advisory, the event required participants to develop strategic solutions to practical issues in estate planning, wealth management, and legacy planning.The competition was conducted in multiple stages to assess participants' analytical thinking and presentation skills. Prior to the final round, participants attended a Business Workshop on 20 June 2026 featuring industry speakers including Dr. Udesh Chaskar, Chief Executive Officer of ARCB Asia, alongside CD Lee and Pau-Ling Low from ReSkills, who shared insights into professional development, industry expectations, and practical business competencies.The final round was held physically at XMUM. University finalists were challenged to analyse a business case, develop practical recommendations, and present their solutions within approximately 14 hours, while high school finalists presented solutions to cases assigned in advance. Teams were evaluated based on the quality of their analysis, the feasibility of their proposed solutions, and their presentation skills.Following the final presentations, Team K Square emerged as Champion in the University Division, followed by Team Kiss My Assets as First Runner-up and Team Doremifa as Second Runner-up. Alya Taqiyyasafi received the Best Presenter Award. In the High School Division, Team Unit IV claimed the championship title, while The Divas and Ecoeatware secured First and Second Runner-up respectively. Queenie Wong Xin Rou was recognised as the Best Presenter.BCSC 3.0 attracted participants from universities across Malaysia and Indonesia, including Xiamen University Malaysia, Taylor's University, Sunway University, University of Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Monash University Malaysia, etc. The High School Division also featured teams from SM Poi Lam (SUWA), Kuen Cheng High School, St. Louis 1 Catholic High School, and SMJK Chan Wa.
XMUM Students Win Two Third Prize Awards at Huawei ICT Competition APAC Regional Round
Students from Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) won two Third Prize awards at the Huawei ICT Competition 2025/2026 Asia Pacific Regional Round which was held from 12 to 14 May 2026.Representing XMUM’s School of Computing and Data Science (SCDS), the Cloud Track team comprised Ge Hanwen from Computer Science and Technology, Wu Haoren from Artificial Intelligence Technology, and Li Haocong from Data Science, under the guidance of Assistant Professor Dr. Mallikarachchi Dilshani Hansika; the Computing Track team consisted of Wong Wan Ning and Wai Pui Shan from Software Engineering, together with Meng Zijian from Computer Science and Technology, mentored by Assistant Professor Dr. Toa Chean Khim.The Huawei ICT Competition required participants to complete a live practical examination and solve cloud computing and infrastructure challenges within a limited time, testing their technical knowledge, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving abilities.In preparation for the competition, the students balanced intensive training with their regular academic coursework while learning enterprise technologies beyond the classroom. They shared that the competition allowed them to apply classroom knowledge to practical scenarios, collaborate under pressure, and gain exposure to international industry standards.“The competition challenged us to think beyond textbooks and apply what we learned to practical situations. Working closely as a team under time pressure taught us the importance of communication, trust, and resilience,” a student said.Both mentors described the competition as a valuable learning platform that complements classroom teaching by exposing students to enterprise-level technologies and professional practices.
The 22nd Cross-Strait “University Campus” Academic Symposium
研讨会简介About the Symposium海峡两岸“大学的校园”学术研讨会于 2001 年 12 月 6 日由北京大学发展规划部联合台湾沈祖海建筑文教基金会首次举办，旨在庆贺侯仁之院士九十华诞并开启两岸学术对话。二十余年来，研讨会秉持“校园承载大学精神、空间映照教育理念”的核心宗旨，围绕大学校园规划、建筑设计、文化传承、教育空间、人文精神与城市发展等议题展开深入讨论，逐步发展成为两岸大学校园研究领域最具影响力与持续性的学术平台之一。历届研讨会先后由北京大学、厦门大学、湖南大学、西安建筑科技大学、深圳大学、天津大学、沈阳建筑大学等高校承办，汇聚了海峡两岸建筑学、城市规划、教育学、文化研究及校园管理等领域的专家学者。会议不仅关注大学校园的物质空间与规划设计，更强调大学精神、文化积累、社会责任与区域协同发展的深层价值，持续回应全球化、数字化、生态转型与城市更新背景下大学校园所面临的新挑战与新机遇。2026年海峡两岸“大学的校园”学术研讨会将于2026年11月在厦门大学马来西亚分校举办，由分校图书馆承办。本届会议以“跨文化・数字化・新演进：大学校园的传承，发展与创新”为主题，结合跨境高等教育发展与数字时代校园转型的全球趋势，重点探讨大学校园空间演进、跨文化共生、校城融合、知识服务及学习环境创新等议题。会议旨在进一步推动海峡两岸及国际高校之间的学术合作与经验共享，深化大学校园研究的人文关怀与国际视野，并为未来大学校园建设、知识传播与教育创新提供新的理论思考与实践路径。The Cross-Strait “University Campus” Academic Symposium was established on 6 December 2001 through a joint initiative by the Department of Development Planning of Peking University and the Shen Zuhai Architectural and Educational Foundation in Taiwan. Originally organized to celebrate the 90th birthday of Academician Hou Renzhi, the conference sought to initiate sustained academic dialogue across the Taiwan Strait with university campuses as its central concern. Over the past two decades, the conference has upheld the principle that campuses embody the spirit of universities, while spatial forms reflect educational philosophies. Through continuous discussions on campus planning, architectural design, cultural heritage, educational space, humanistic values, and urban development, it has gradually become one of the most influential and enduring academic platforms in the field of university campus studies across the Taiwan Strait. Previous editions of the conference have been hosted by leading institutions including Peking University, Xiamen University, Hunan University, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Shenzhen University, Tianjin University, and Shenyang Jianzhu University. The conference has brought together scholars and professionals from the fields of architecture, urban planning, education, cultural studies, and campus administration. Beyond discussions of physical space and campus design, the conference has consistently emphasized broader concerns including university spirit, cultural continuity, social responsibility, and regional collaboration, while responding to emerging challenges and opportunities associated with globalization, digital transformation, ecological transition, and urban renewal. The 2026 Cross-Strait “University Campus” Academic Symposium will be held in November 2026 at Xiamen University Malaysia and hosted by the Xiamen University Malaysia Library. Under the theme “Cross-Cultural, Digitalization, and New Evolution: Heritage, Development and Innovation in University Campuses,” the conference will address global trends in cross-border higher education and digital-era campus transformation. Particular attention will be given to issues such as the evolution of campus spaces, intercultural coexistence, university–city integration, knowledge services, and innovation in learning environments. The conference aims to further strengthen academic collaboration and intellectual exchange among universities across the Taiwan Strait and beyond, deepen the humanistic and international dimensions of university campus studies, and contribute new theoretical insights and practical approaches to the future development of university campuses, knowledge dissemination, and educational innovation.会议主题与子议题Symposium Theme and Sub-themes主题：跨文化・数字化・新演进：大学校园的传承，发展与创新Theme: Cross-Cultural, Digitalization, and New Evolution: Heritage, Development and Innovation in University Campuses子议题：Sub-theme: (1) 数字时代：大学校园演进、变革与空间转型Digital Era: Evolution, Transformation, and Spatial Transition of University Campuses(2) 跨文化共生：跨境大学发展及区域贡献Intercultural Coexistence: The Development and Regional Contributions of Cross-Border Universities(3) 校城融合：大学空间边界、更新与遗产保护University–City Integration: Spatial Boundaries, Urban Renewal, and Heritage Conservation of University Campuses(4)知识服务：图书馆转型与校园学习环境创新Knowledge Services: Library Transformation and Innovation in Campus Learning Environments 主办单位与承办单位Organizer and co-host主办单位：海峡两岸“大学的校园”学术研讨会组委会Organizer: Organizing Committee of the Cross-Strait “University Campus” Academic Symposium承办单位：厦门大学马来西亚分校图书馆Co-host: Xiamen University Malaysia Library缴费方式： 请通过 https://epayment.xmu.edu.my/event-listing 完成缴费Payment via: https://epayment.xmu.edu.my/event-listing缴费时间： 2026年9月15日至2026年10月30日。Payment period: 15 September 2026 – 30 October 2026 Image
Winners Announced - XMUM's 10th Anniversary Essay Competition
Xiamen University Malaysia is pleased to announce the results of the 10th Anniversary Essay Competition and congratulate the winners on their outstanding work!The winners were chosen by a professional panel of judges, including Dr. Ng Kee Ong, Dr. Ooi Bee Peng, Ms. Li Xiaowen, Dr. Al-Saggaf Mohammad Ali Abdellah, Dr. Irina Ivanova, and representatives from the organizing committee. Here is the list of winners:First Prize: Abdi Abdifatah Ibrahim - The Silence That Changed Everything: My 8,000-Kilometer JourneySecond Prize: Tang Wing Lok - 十年·我在厦门大学马来西亚分校的故事Third Prize: Chan Yi Ying - My Favourite Mid-AutumnSpecial Prize: Fang Xiao（方晓） - 感恩碑Meanwhile, we would like to congratulate another 12 essays that have been selected from the 60 entries we received. They are listed below in alphabetical order:Cheah Yuat Hoong - 我与马来西亚厦门大学的第一个十年Esenalieva Aizhamal Esenalievna - Brick by Brick: Growing Up with XMUMFang Xiao & Zhou Hailiang（方晓 & 周海亮） - 忆厦大马校创办初期的招生工作Gamakharova Mariia - Everything Starts With A DreamIlhomov Azizbek Akbarjon Ugli - Companions, Changes, and Becoming: My Story at XMUMKudaibergen Niara - At XMUM, I Finally BelongedLow Kit Yin - 忆味Lydia Yap Ern Whui - UntitledMubanga Kalumba - My Life at XMUMNorzita Binti Yunus - A Career Change, A Life RewrittenTan Hao - 再见，我的大学Zhang Siyu（张思钰）- The Algorithm of Resilience: How I Coded My Way from Tears to TriumphEssays of the winners and the top stories will be collected into the 10th Anniversary e-Anthology, which is expected to be released later in the year.We would like to thank all the participants who have supported this competition. Your stories have added meaningful chapters to XMUM's journey, and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones together in the years to come.
Southeast Asia Division Contest of China International College Students' Innovation Competition 2026
Video file About the CompetitionSEA-CICSIC 2026 is the Southeast Asia regional contest of the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (CICSIC), providing a regional platform for students to participate in this prestigious global competition. It aims to foster cross-cultural collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship among university and college students from Southeast Asian countries, while encouraging participants to apply their innovative solutions to regional and global challenges.The China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (CICSIC) is a premier global event that unites university and college students worldwide to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship. It provides a platform for participants to showcase their ideas, collaborate with peers, and explore innovative solutions addressing global challenges and advancing sustainable development. Since its inception in 2015, CICSIC has successfully held consecutive annual competitions. In 2025, it attracted 24.43 million participants from 5,673 universities, with 6.19 million projects submitted and 4,729 projects awarded.All projects submitted to SEA-CICSIC 2026 will be eligible for recommendation to the CICSIC 2026 global competition. Students passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship are invited to participate.Project Entry Requirements1.Projects should address social needs, create new products and business models, and promote the transformation of key industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, health, energy, and environmental protection. They should also facilitate the integration of digital technology with education, medical care, transport, finance, and cultural exchange.2.Projects must be ethical, legal, and free of any content that violates Chinese and any other Southeast Asia countries’ laws or regulations. All inventions, patented technologies, and resources involved must have the attendant legal intellectual property rights and proprietary rights. Entrants who submit plagiarized or pirated entries will be disqualified from the competition, forfeit any awards received, and shall bear all legal liabilities.3.Entrants must choose the proper category for submitting their projects. The participating teams must truthfully fill out and submit entry materials in the registration system in a timely manner. Projects that have won the Gold or Silver Awards in previous sessions of the CICSIC and Gold Awards in the MCYIC are not eligible for submission.4.Entrants must be under 35 years old (born in/after 1991).How to ParticipateThe Competition only accepts team entries. All entrants shall participate as teams of 2 to 15 members (team leader included). A team may be formed by members from more than one college. All entrants shall be core members of the team.All entrants must be students who are currently enrolled at a university/college or those who have graduated within the past 5 years (graduated in/after 2021). The application should be submitted by the team leader. A team shall represent only one foreign institution in which the team leader is currently enrolled or has graduated from. In this case, a foreign institution refers to a higher education institution that is located in Southeast Asia countries (outside Mainland China as well as Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions of China) and is qualified to provide tertiary education and award degrees. Participants from different universities are allowed to form a team.All submissions will be classified into one of the following two categories depending on the entrants' academic status: Undergraduate or Postgraduate. The submissions will be further classified into two sub-categories based on the projects’ business stage: Idea Stage and Startup Stage Projects. All participating colleges shall instruct entrants to correctly fill out the application and register in the appropriate category.Requirements for Undergraduate & PostgraduateIdea Stageare creative;have mature product prototypes or service models;have not completed business registration or other types of registration on or before 1 April 2026.The applicant must be the team leader, and the team leader and members must currently be undergraduates or junior college students.Startup StageProjects are projects that have completed business registration or other types of registration (before 1 April 2026).The applicant must be the team leader, the legal representative of the start-up and a current undergraduate or an undergraduate/junior college student who has graduated with an undergraduate degree within the past 5 years.Timeline:Registration Opens: April 11, 2026, 12:00 noon Registration Closes: April 27, 2026, 12:00 noon Eligibility Review: April – May 2026 Finalists Announcement: May 2026 (tentative) Final Competition & Award Ceremony: June 2026Learn more:Event Website: https://events.xmu.edu.my/seacicsic26/Registration Website: https://mys.pilcchina.org/homeXiamen University Malaysia – Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center: innocompetition@xmu.edu.my Image