(Back, from left) Dr Dafydd Cotterell, Professor Louisa Huxtable-Thomas, Amrul Nazri and Hazina Mohamad. (Front) Dr Fiona Jordan and Rizal Nainy.
Malaysian-based small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) received a helping hand when launching their products in the UK, thanks to Swansea University expertise.
A new executive education programme – dubbed the Soft Landings programme – has been developed in a collaboration between the University and two Malaysian government agencies SME Corporation Malaysia and Pernas
Designed to support established Malaysian brands to move into UK markets, the programme has already assisted 29 SMEs with their internationalisation aspirations. Soft Landings is a one-week intensive executive education programme which equips delegates with both practical and theoretical knowledge of setting up and running a business in the UK.
During the programme, a team of five academics from the School of Management visit Malaysia every summer to offer developmental and iterative consultancy services to businesses that have participated within the programme at Swansea.
Through this project, the School of Management also supported Pernas with a trade mission to Germany, where Swansea University academics collated and reported key market insights for Germany’s key industries.
This programme has received recognition from both the UK and Malaysian governments, with the University team meeting representatives in the Malaysian High Commissioner's Office in London and the British High Commissioners office in Kuala Lumpur.
The programme is the latest development in an ongoing collaboration between Swansea University and the Malaysian Government. In December, the University and SME Corp. Malaysia signed a Memorandum of Understanding which aims to enhance the relationship and create more ways to work together.
Soft Landings Programme Lead Dr Dafydd Cotterell said: “The Soft Landings Programme represents an innovative and industry-focused addition to our School's executive education portfolio. The businesses we have supported so far include the premium Asian steakhouse chain MeetBros, which recently opened two venues in London.
“I now look forward to welcoming many more businesses onto the programme and expanding the work we do with SME Corp."
Chief Strategy Officer at Pernas, Hazina Mohamad said “We are proud to partner with the School of Management which serves as our international training provider. The outcomes are already promising and tangible. Most significantly, 20 per cent of our participating companies have successfully penetrated the international market.”
This latest collaboration builds on a relationship with Malaysia dating back to 2016 which was further enhanced with launch of the University’s on the ground presence in the country in 2024.
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