KUALA LUMPUR, 3 July 2025 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), as the coordinator of the Erasmus+ CIRCULAR project consortium, participated in the Ambassadors’ Roundtable for ASEAN 2025: Bridging Nations, Connecting Regions – Higher Education for ASEAN Unity and the Launch of the Erasmus+ Malaysia Hub, held at the Grand Banquet Hall, UTM Hotel & Residence here.

The event brought together over 20 ambassadors, alongside representatives from ASEAN member states, university leaders, policymakers, and Erasmus+ project coordinators.

The aim of the event was to strengthen regional collaboration through higher education.

The Erasmus+ Malaysia Hub was launched by Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, Minister of Higher Education Malaysia, together with His Excellency Rafael Daerr, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Malaysia.

As one of the featured exhibitors, USM showcased its Erasmus+ CIRCULAR project, a regional initiative that promotes Circular Economy Living Laboratories to support sustainability and social innovation in Southeast Asian higher education institutions.

USM was represented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asyirah Abdul Rahim, coordinator of the Erasmus+ CIRCULAR project, and Nur Syazwana Hamzah, one of the project’s researchers. Also present was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norsuhana Omar, representing USM International Mobility and Collaboration Centre (IMCC).

Their presence reflected USM’s active role in advancing international collaboration efforts and sustainability through strategic partnerships.

“We are honoured to represent USM at this milestone event and to showcase our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and international collaboration,” said Asyirah.

The exhibition highlighted USM’s leadership in advancing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiative and its active partnerships with institutions from Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and Europe under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) programme.

The launch of the Erasmus+ Malaysia Hub opens new opportunities for USM staff and students to benefit from:

• Staff and student mobility to Europe;
• Joint research and capacity-building projects;
• Global partnerships aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Erasmus+ CIRCULAR at a Glance

Erasmus+ CIRCULAR is a three-year CBHE project coordinated by USM, in collaboration with universities from Europe and Southeast Asia.

The project focuses on embedding circular economy principles in higher education through living labs, curriculum development, and student engagement.

USM’s participation in this platform reflects its continued commitment to global engagement and sustainability through meaningful international collaboration.

Text & Photos: Nur Syazwana Hamzah, Erasmus+ CIRCULAR project researcher