USM PENANG, 29 April 2026 – In conjunction with the Malaysia–The Republic of Türkiye Joint Committee Meeting in Higher Education, the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, together with the Council of Higher Education, Türkiye, in collaboration with Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) as the host university, organised a series of high-impact programmes strategically curated from 28 to 29 April 2026.

This initiative was designed through a focused and comprehensive approach to ensure that every component of the programme would clearly deliver added values, strengthen bilateral relations, and support the achievement of a more progressive and competitive higher education agenda.

The organisation of these programmes aligns with the launch of the National Education Plan 2026–2035 by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim on 20 January 2026.

This comprehensive plan, which integrates the Malaysia Higher Education Plan and the Malaysia Education Plan, emphasises the need to transform the national education system towards greater inclusivity, sustainability, and global excellence.

Within this framework, ‘Transnational Education’ has been identified as a strategic catalyst for expanding international collaboration through the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and innovation.

This approach strengthens Malaysia’s position as a dynamic regional education hub while creating opportunities for a more open, responsive, and high-impact learning ecosystem.

Accordingly, collaborative platforms such as bilateral meetings, international education forums, and leadership programmes serve as important vehicles for translating these aspirations into structured and effective actions.

Throughout the two-day programme, a range of key activities were implemented, including:

1. The Second Joint Committee Meeting between Malaysia and the Republic of Türkiye on Higher Education
2. Malaysia–Türkiye Higher Education Forum 2026: Charting the Future of Higher Education in the Era of Artificial Intelligence
3. Malaysia–Türkiye Education Forum 2026: The Shared Purpose, Building an Empathetic World Through Education
4. Engagement with ViTrox Corporation Berhad
5. Malaysia–Türkiye Leadership Programme: Navigating Change, Leadership Exchange Across Cultures
6. Football Workshop with Mesut Özil
7. Malaysia–Republic of Türkiye: An Evening of Partnership in Higher Education.

According to USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed, this initiative not only brought stakeholders together on a common platform but also fostered a new intellectual landscape in higher education.

“Collaborations such as these require more than an exchange of views. They demand clarity of direction, the courage to restructure priorities, and the ability to connect knowledge with an ever-changing reality.

“What is being established here, beyond networks, is a collective synergy with the potential to drive real change in how we would define higher education in the future,” he said.

The overall programme reflected a more focused approach towards integrating policy, academia, and industry within a complementary framework.

This initiative extends beyond the organisation of events, and serves as a foundation for a more structured, long-term, and outcome-oriented collaboration.

Through the continuation of dialogue, the exchange of expertise, and the exploration of shared priority areas, this platform creates opportunities for the development of more valuable and high-impact networks.

It also strengthens the capacity of both countries to formulate solutions that are more relevant to future educational needs, in line with an increasingly complex global landscape.

With a clearer direction and stronger synergy, cooperation between Malaysia and the Republic of Türkiye in higher education is expected to continue evolving as a credible model of reference.

The approach being undertaken not only expands the scope of international collaboration but also enriches the value of education itself as a catalyst for talent development, innovation, and sustained shared progress.

Original Text: Professor Dr. Lee Keat Teong, International Office, USM/ Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa & Muhamad Faris Darwisy Mohammad Rafiq