KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has agreed to foster international collaboration to strengthen higher education programmes with nations such as Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Libya, and Turkiye, said the Education Ministry.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the engagement will emphasise student exchanges, faculty exchanges, research collaborations and joint initiatives in focused areas.
The agreement, he said, was unveiled as a result of bilateral meetings that took place during the recent Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2024 in Antalya, Turkiye where he represented Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The event drew over 4,000 delegates from 100 nations and saw Malaysia being honoured as a panellist for the session titled "Building Asia-Pacific Regional Architectures: The Challenge of Unmatching Interest".
Zambry said he took the opportunity to engage with foreign dignitaries of the nations mentioned and stressed on Malaysia's stance on crucial issues in the Asia-Pacific region, advocating for a region free from dominance and emphasising cooperation for regional stability.
"Notably, countries like Iraq and Libya have expressed readiness to provide more scholarships for their students to pursue tertiary education in Malaysia," said Zambry in a statement.
The minister also witnessed a significant milestone in Istanbul during his visit as Universiti Utara Malaysia inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with five Turkish universities — Karabuk University, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Dicle University, Gebze Technical University, and Mardin Artuklu University.
"This collaboration marks a significant step towards building robust educational networks with international institutions, fostering knowledge and skill-sharing across various mediums," said Zambry.
"Malaysia's involvement in this multi-nation initiative underscores its commitment to enhancing global cooperation in higher education, paving the way for mutual growth and development in the region and beyond."