HANGZHOU, China: Sarawak has secured a RMB100 million investment to set up the first Alibaba Digital Commerce Industry College outside China, under a partnership between IMSEA Education (M) Sdn Bhd and Hangzhou Pute Education Group.
The agreement was signed at the BRICS Special Economic Zones Dialogue during the 4th Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, a gathering that attracts more than 150,000 participants each year, from policymakers to technology firms and investors.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian said the initiative fits squarely with Sarawak’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 and its push for a digital economy.
“The Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, with focus on digital industry through the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030, stimulates private sector growth and unlocks new capital flows as we witness today.
“Our policies of equitable education, recognition of Unified Exam Certificate, and upcoming free tertiary education scheme, have nurtured a talent pool capable of flourishing in the future global economy.
“We are hopeful that the Alibaba Digital Commerce Industry College built through this partnership will turbocharge Sarawak’s digital economy,” he said.
Hangzhou Pute Education Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Feng Di Yang, outlined the college’s role in scaling experiential learning through internships, training and cross-cultural programmes.
“Southeast Asia is the frontier of cross-border e-commerce, where the region is expected to lead global e-commerce growth over the next decade. We chose to invest in and with Sarawak primarily because of its talent pools and supportive policies.
“The cultural and language proximity to China and the Southeast Asia region provide an ideal springboard for Chinese entrepreneurs into the region, and vice versa,” he said.
IMSEA Chairperson, Professor Wallace Wong, said academic collaboration will also be central to the partnership, beginning with exchanges between Sarawak and Zhejiang universities.
“IMSEA have recently entered into an agreement with University of Technology Sarawak to carry out joint education and research initiatives with universities in Zhejiang province.
“Zhejiang YueXiu University has also agreed on a pathway for Sarawak’s Unified Exam Certificate holders through University of Technology Sarawak, with scholarship no less.
“IMSEA-Pute groundwork with University of Technology Sarawak is critical for the success of the Alibaba Digital Commerce Industry College. We are thankful to the University leadership for allowing us to build a scalable model which we aim to replicate throughout our Southeast Asia network,” he said.
Feng added that the project will also promote the use of AI in education and commerce, particularly to broaden access for underserved groups.
“Under this thrust, while we leverage Alibaba and DeepSeek technologically, we rely on our partners to tell us what the gaps and opportunities are here, as well as what to watch out for. Technology has to work in tandem with people for AI to be truly beneficial.
“We are encouraged by the establishment of the Sarawak Science Centre and the Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre which manifest Sarawak Government’s resolve in pushing STEM and AI as drivers of future prosperity,” he said.
The RMB100 million investment is primarily for localised educational programmes, training of educators and new facilities in Kuching, with part of the funds earmarked for research partnerships in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and China.
