The Sultan Idris Education University of Malaysia (Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris - UPSI) with the collaboration from the Uzbekistan State University of World Languages (USWLU) and the Embassy of Malaysia in Tashkent organized the 5th International Conference on Upholding the Malay Language (Persidangan Antarabangsa Memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu - PAMBM 2017). This 2-day event was held at the USWLU on 21 and 22 July 2017.
UPSI has been the main organizer for this International Conference since 2012. In 2015, this International Conference was held for the first time abroad with collaboration from Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. The event in Tashkent was the second edition of this Conference taken place outside of Malaysia. USWLU is chosen as the venue of this year's Conference as it has been actively teaching the Malay Language as a second foreign language since 1996.
In addition, the PAMBM 2017 was held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Uzbekistan which was celebrated on 21 February this year.
His Excellency Begimkulov Uzokboy Shoimkulovich, Deputy Minister of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education attended the opening ceremony on 21 July 2017, where he was invited to jointly officiate the PAMBM 2017 with Mr. Ahmad Sani Araby, Member of the Board of Directors of UPSI.
Following the opening ceremony, on 21 July 2017, UPSI signed two Memoranda of Understanding with USWLU and the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies. The two MoUs envisage future collaboration between UPSI and the two prestigious tertiary institutions in Tashkent which includes teachers and students exchanges as well as academic cooperation.
On 22 July 2017, Prof. Dato' Dr. Mohammad Shatar Sabran, Vice Chancellor of UPSI had a meeting with Prof. Dr. Rahimov Ganisher Khudaykulovich, Rector of USWLU.
PAMBM 2017 was participated by more than 50 academicians, language scholars, researchers and language enthusiasts from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei. More than 40 papers, on issues related to Malay Language, were presented and discussed during the two-day Conference.
