JAKARTA, Jan 11 ― Malaysia and Indonesia are keen to enhance cooperation in strengthening institutions of higher learning in both countries, said Education Minister Maszlee Malik.
He said among the collaborative efforts in the pipeline were the setting up “satellite” campuses and branch campuses of Malaysian public universities in Indonesia.
He cited as an example the International Islamic University Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia or Universiti Putra Malaysia setting up branch campuses in Indonesian varsities and vice-versa through the concept of satellite universities.
“Not all Indonesian students would be able to continue their studies in Malaysia, so we will explore opportunities to build our (branch campuses of) public universities in Indonesia,” he said here today.
Maszlee, who is on a working visit to Indonesia, said he was committed to implementing the plan through the various parties he met such as Indonesia's Minister of Education and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, and a representative of the management of the Muhammadiyah University, Prof Dr Hamka.
Maszlee said follow-up action would be carried out at the ministry and university management level in the near future, if universities in both countries were interested.
“In addition, we have also agreed to further enhance university student exchange programmes in both countries, and would carry out the exchange of school heads and university lecturers,” he said.
Both ministers also agreed to further enhance the translation of various literary works and books from both countries.
“Many Bahasa Indonesia articles and books have been translated to Bahasa Malaysia, our works will also be translated to Bahasa Indonesia, so we can share in whatever field of knowledge for the sake of uplifting education in the archipelago,” he added. ― Bernama
