KUALA LUMPUR: Widad Business Group Sdn Bhd (WBG) through its wholly-owned subsidiary Widad Education Sdn Bhd (WESB), signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with EW European Wellness International GMBH (EW Group) to collaborate on the research and development (R&D) in bio-regenerative sciences and provide higher education certificates in the field.

Through this collaboration, EW Group will provide their knowledge and expertise through syllabus structure, labs and training to lecturers.

Meanwhile, WESB through Widad University College will provide the learning facilities as well the assistance in obtaining the certification and official accreditation for the courses.

The collaboration will include short courses, undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the field of bio-regenerative sciences.

As regenerative medicine becomes a post-pandemic global interest, EW Group and WBG believe that this collaboration would be able to cater to this growing industry by supplying trained professionals and dedicated services.

As the wellness industry was valued at US$4.4 trillion worldwide in 2020 with an average projection of 9.9 per cent annual growth, the collaboration is viewed positively by WBG.

WBG executive chairman Tan Sri Muhammad Ikmal Opat Abdullah said the collaboration between Widad Education and European Wellness would be in line with its aim to integrate the wellness industry in our developments.

"This is also another opportunity for us to diversify our business interest in this region by learning from the experts," he said in a statement today.

This venture will also be in tandem with WBG's aim of establishing a Wellness Hub in the upcoming Widad Langkasuka Project, in Langkawi.

WBG also intends to develop an education hub that would include a new main campus for Widad University College.

WBG believes that this collaboration fortifies its first step toward making Langkawi a wellness destination in Asia.

Widad Education senior executive director

Datuk Dr Nasir Mat Dam said this collaboration is a great opportunity for Widad as it opens a new door to furthering the R&D of regenerative treatment and wellness research.

"This will help us to develop further specialisation in its undergraduate and postgraduate program with the introduction of regenerative medicine-related courses such as biomedical technology and holistic integrative medical wellness therapies.

"In turn, this will also present new opportunities for the younger generation to pursue a new emerging industry and meet the future market demands," he said.

On July 28, Widad Education signed an MoU with Andorra Hospital that aims to collaborate in the health science industry.

This includes collaborative teaching modules, joint academic and non-academic activities, exchange of teaching personnel and industry expert, and continuous development and career opportunities.

It also provides future clinical placement or internship for the students of pharmacy, medical assistance, and nursing courses.

Andorra Hospital is a women and children's hospital located at Seri Kembangan founded by Dr Khamsiah Muda from BWFW (By Women For Women) Medic Sdn Bhd.

In July 2016, WBG acquired Shahputra University College and renamed it Widad University College.

The university college has developed homegrown programs in medicine and business studies.

WESB has a total of 43,000 graduated students to date with 139 experts and academicians.

WBG is a wholly Bumiputera private company owned by Kedah-born Muhammad Ikmal who is also a majority stakeholder of Bursa Malaysia-listed Widad Group Bhd and Dataprep Holdings Bhd.

EW Group is founded by Professor Datuk Sri Dr Mike Chan and Professor Datuk Sri Dr Michelle Wong in the early '90s in Switzerland through the culmination of therapeutic research efforts spanning Switzerland, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union since the mid-'80s.

EW Group's business divisions include R&D, bio-manufacturing, biomedical academies for continuing education and training, anti-ageing centres, and nutraceutical product distribution to licensed practitioners and consumers across the globe.

Today, EW Group also owns and operates a chain of luxury anti-ageing and youth restorative wellness centres in Lugano, Frankfurt, Athens, Santorini, Dubai, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu.