SINTOK, 18 February 2025: In conjunction with Malaysia’s Chairmanship in ASEAN 2025, the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), in collaboration with the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), has developed a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing higher education and positioning Malaysia a global education hub.
Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), through the Centre for International Affairs and Cooperation (CIAC), has been entrusted with leading the ASEAN Student Mobility Programme in conjunction with the organisation of the ASEAN Universities Exhibition and Forum 2025 (AEF2025), which will be organised by Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) on 24 and 25 February 2025.
According to the Deputy Secretary-General (Policy) of MoHE, Dato’ Dr. Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Supian, the programme aims to enhance educational cooperation, foster cross-border academic collaboration and enrich cultural exchanges among ASEAN students in alignment with the objectives of regional integration.
The inaugural ASEAN Student Mobility Programme, scheduled from 11 to 18 February 2025 brought together 500 students from various universities across the ASEAN region. Designed to offer a dynamic blend of academic activities, innovative experiences, the programme has attracted participation from over 100 universities across the ASEAN region.
The programme began on 11 February in an online format with the ASEAN Young Talent Speaker Contest, a public speaking competition designed to facilitate discussions on critical ASEAN issues.
Next, from 19 to 23 February, students will be assigned to 13 universities across Malaysia to gain insights into the Malaysian higher education landscape and its cultural diversity, while also exploring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the ASEAN Future Innovators Challenge.
MoHE, in collaboration with EMGS, UUM and other universities, continues to lead efforts to strengthen regional student engagement, with the ultimate goal of establishing Malaysia the premier education hub in ASEAN.
As the co-organiser of EMGS and as the main host university, UUM demonstrates its commitment to fostering international networking, especially within the ASEAN region, aimed at strengthening the regional higher education ecosystem and producing competitive global talent.
