Foster+Freeman is proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Enforcement, Leadership & Management University (ELMU) in Malaysia. This landmark strategic collaboration officially establishes a framework to significantly advance forensic science education, research, and technological integration across Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region.
The ceremony was formalised by Richard Evans, Regional Sales Manager for foster+freeman, alongside YBhg. Dato’ Hairul Ridza Hayata (Director & Group Deputy CEO, ELMU Education Group), Mr. Kurian Thomas (CTO, ELMU), and En. Ahmad Khairi Ismail (Managing Director, Integwealth Sdn Bhd).

A Shared Commitment to Excellence

The partnership directly addresses the evolving needs of law enforcement by ensuring that professional skills and investigative knowledge remain aligned with industrial innovation. As noted by YBhg. Dato’ Hairul Ridza Hayata, Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer ELMU Group, President of Strategy and Research, the collaboration is a strategic step that “combines academic excellence with industrial innovation,” ensuring that the expertise imparted is “in line with the current needs of law enforcement agencies.”

Foster+Freeman’s Regional Sales Manager, Richard Evans, echoed this vision, stating, “This collaboration combines ELMU’s academic expertise with our modern forensic technology to produce a new generation of enforcement professionals equipped with scientific and practical skills.”

Three Pillars of the Collaboration

The partnership is strategically focused on three key areas designed to equip institutions with the gold standard in forensic technology:

Professional Development and Training
The MoU establishes ELMU’s facility as an Official Regional Training Centre for Foster+Freeman’s professional programmes. A core element is the integration of Foster+Freeman’s Continuous Professional Development (CPD) module into ELMU’s training portfolio. This ensures law enforcement agencies across the region will have access to international-standard training in forensics and identity verification.

Technology Integration
Foster+Freeman will integrate its cutting-edge forensic technologies into Malaysia’s investigative and Questioned Document Examination (QDE) practices. This commitment ensures that practitioners are trained on the latest systems and tools used globally to combat criminal threats.

Research & Innovation
The collaboration strengthens regional research efforts by opening up opportunities for research sharing between the CSI ELMU Research Platform and Foster+Freeman’s latest forensic systems. By facilitating joint workshops, seminars, and conferences, the partnership aims to meet evolving criminal threats through collective scientific advancement.

Preserving Heritage with Forensic Science

This commitment is a testament to Foster+Freeman’s global mission to support forensic education and research in the ASEAN region. While joint training and research programmes are expected to commence implementation in 2026, the partnership already solidifies ELMU’s crucial role in the global forensics community, helping to shape a safer, smarter, and technology-driven future for law enforcement throughout Southeast Asia.