Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) School of Global Hospitality & Tourism (SoGHT) hosted a collaborative engagement session with Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin’s (UniSZA) Tourism Student Association (TUSA), bringing together students from both universities for discussions, activities, and knowledge sharing on Islamic tourism, which strengthened academic collaboration, cultural understanding, and student networking.

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Learning beyond borders, public and private universities came together to bridge cultures through Islamic Tourism Education in a Courtesy Visit and Tourism Student Engagement Session organised by Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) School of Global Hospitality & Tourism (SoGHT) in collaboration with Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Terengganu. 

The session brought together 35 Hospitality and Tourism students from APU (bachelor’s and diploma programmes) and 20 Bachelor of Islamic Tourism (Hons.) students from UniSZA’s Tourism Student Association (TUSA).

Held on 2 April 2026 at APU’s Auditorium 7, the session was led by SoGHT Lecturer, Mr Mohamad Imaduddin Zainal Abidin and began with a welcome address by Academic Leader and Senior Lecturer, Mr Kumaresu Murugasu @ Murugesi. 

This was followed by presentations from UniSZA Tourism Student Association executive committee members, Ms Amirah Fakhira Suhaimi and Mr Muhammad Adib Adnan.

The programme continued with an interactive Islamic Tourism quiz, an open engagement session between students from both universities, a Q&A segment on Islamic tourism, and a campus tour guided by APU students.

Mr Mohamad Imaduddin highlighted that the session provided valuable opportunities for students from both institutions to interact, exchange knowledge, and broaden their understanding of the tourism industry, particularly in Islamic tourism. 

He added that the collaboration strengthened academic networking between APU and UniSZA while encouraging meaningful knowledge transfer.

Dayang Innsyirah Pengiran Osman from Sabah, a participant from UniSZA, also shared positive feedback. 

She described the session as highly interactive and meaningful, noting that the approachable environment encouraged active participation while inspiring her to seek more opportunities to engage with international universities.

Her classmate, Amirah Fakhira Suhaimi from Terengganu, added that the session was insightful and provided a strong platform for knowledge exchange, allowing students from both universities to share ideas and learn from different cultural and academic backgrounds.

From APU, Tourism Management student Kanae Higa from Japan shared that the most valuable part of the session was the open discussion, which allowed students to ask questions and exchange ideas freely. 

She gained a deeper understanding of Islamic tourism and Muslim travel perspectives across different countries.

Hospitality student Ananna Islam from Bangladesh described the session as highly informative, particularly in understanding halal services, cultural sensitivity, and the needs of Muslim travellers. 

She added that it enhanced her awareness of the importance of Islamic tourism within the global industry.

Meanwhile, Tourism Management student Clarissa Eviliana from Indonesia described the experience as both enjoyable and enriching, noting that it helped non-Muslim students gain new perspectives, build connections, and better understand Islamic tourism in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The engagement session successfully fostered cross-cultural understanding, strengthened academic ties between APU and UniSZA, and enriched students’ global outlook in the field of tourism.