USM PENANG, 2 July 2025 – The Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF) together with the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia (MoHE) and the National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has successfully organised the CTEF Academic Forum 2025 at the Pulse Grande Hotel in Putrajaya recently.

The forum, held on 26 June, focused on addressing current trends, identifying key challenges, and discussing strategies for fostering effective and equitable partnerships in enhancing higher education within the Global South.

 

The forum successfully attracted almost 200 local and international participants, consisting of academics, policymakers, higher education institutions/organisation leaders and practitioners who are engaged in higher education planning and development.

The forum commenced with welcoming remarks by the Director of CTEF, Associate Professor Dr. Thien Lei Mee, who expressed gratitude to the attendees and highlighted the significance of the event in facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration in the field of higher education.

Thien, who is also the Director of National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN), emphasised the pivotal role of education in fostering global partnerships and tackling challenges faced by institutions in the Global South, such as resource limitations, technological change, disparities in educational access, and funding educational access.

The event was officiated by MoHE Deputy Secretary-General (Policy), Dato’ Dr. Haji Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Supian, and closed by the Director of the Academic Excellence Division at the Department of Higher Education, MoHE, Associate Professor Dr. Azidah Abu Ziden.

Also present at the opening ceremony of the forum was the Undersecretary of International Relations Division (IRD), MoHE, Datin Noorazah Omar.

During the opening address, Megat Sany underscored the importance of strengthening South-South cooperation and regional collaborations to empower higher education institutions across the Global South.

He also emphasised the need for inclusive, innovative, and sustainable educational practices that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 on Quality Education and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.

The forum featured two dynamic sessions that engaged participants in thought-provoking discussions, with the subthemes as follows:

• Session 1: Global South Higher Education Development: Commonwealth Connections and Transnational Education Providers; and
• Session 2: Global South Higher Education Development: Redefining Dependency and Collaboration with the Global North.

Key highlight of the forum was the panel discussions, which addressed barriers and solutions to achieving sustainable educational outcomes, particularly in the context of limited resources and increasing demand for higher education.

Topics explored included financial models, institutional development, regional cooperation, and strategies for enhancing access to quality education in underserved areas.

The participants expressed their commitment to foster greater collaboration and taking concrete steps to address the challenges faced by higher education institutions in the Global South.

In the closing remarks, Azidah called for continued efforts to build effective partnerships that support the development of higher education in the Global South.

She emphasised that these partnerships must be grounded in shared values of equity, sustainability, and mutual benefit to ensure long-term success.

The Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF) is a collaborative organisation between the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MoHE) and the Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC) in London to strengthen the link among Commonwealth countries in the development of tertiary education.

It comprises a network of partners to generate knowledge and share good practices concerning tertiary education matters among Commonwealth countries.

The key role of CTEF is to provide policy advice and guidance to ministers who are responsible for higher education in Commonwealth countries.

The forum left a strong impression on participants, who were inspired to engage in continued cooperation and innovative strategies to enhance higher education, making it more accessible, equitable, and responsive to the evolving needs of societies across the Global South.

Also present at the forum were the Consultant/Founding Director of CTEF, Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Morshidi Sirat; Project Director, Sri Jeyanthirar Subramaniam; Project Officer, Dr. Nur Rafidah Asyikin Idris; and secretariats from International Relations Division (IRD), MOHE; and IPPTN, USM.

Text: Dr. Nur Rafidah Asyikin Idris, Project Officer, CTEF/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Photos: Courtesy of IPPTN, USM