Six researchers from UTAR Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF) have been awarded the prestigious Erasmus Lump Sum Grant, a co-funded initiative under the Erasmus Grant+ Programme of the European Union, with an estimated funding amount of RM4million. The grant, named “Smart, Optimized, High-quality, and On-demand (SOHO) Tourism Innovative Education for Sustainable and Green Development,” will facilitate innovative initiatives in the field of tourism.

This innovative project is planned to unfold over three years, commencing in December 2023 and concluding in December 2026. Spearheaded by the distinguished Prof Dr Vladimir Tanaslev from the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania, this international collaboration unites a consortium of nine prestigious universities.

The participating institutions in the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant are as follows:

• National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania
• Université Lumière Lyon 2, France
• Politecnico di Milano, Italy
• Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
• Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia
• University of Technology and Education - University of Da Nang, Vietnam
• The University of Da Nang, Vietnam
• American International University, Bangladesh
• Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh

The inaugural SOHO kick-off meeting was held from 26 to 27 February 2024 at Politecnico di Milano in Italy, marking a notable milestone as the first transnational project under this collaborative endeavour. Representatives from all participating universities were present at the two-day meeting, fostering active engagement and collaboration. Leading the UTAR team were Assoc Prof Dr Choong Yuen Onn and Dr Seow Ai Na, under the guidance of Senior Professor and UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong. Three additional researchers from FBF, namely Dr Lam Siew Yong, Prof Dr Lau Lin Sea, and Prof Dr Abdelhak Senadjki, are also involved in the project.

Throughout the meeting, each representative delivered a presentation, offering an insightful overview of their respective institutions to all participants. The session commenced with an opening remark by Prof Dr Tudor Prisecaru, the state secretary for the Research Ministry of National Education in Romania, followed by remarks from Prof Dr Dima Gabriel, the project leader and coordinator representative, and Prof Dr Sonia Leva, the lead and representative of the Politecnico di Milano team.

Following these introductions, all representatives were invited to join a guided lab tour, allowing them to explore the Wind Energy, SolarTech, and Turbo-Machine Fluid Dynamics labs.

On the second day of the meeting, Prof Dima Gabriel continued to elaborate on various aspects of the project, including the timeline, milestones, deliverables, expectations, financial considerations, and management requirements associated with the grant. The session concluded with a collaborative lunch shared among all partners, followed by a group photo to commemorate the occasion.