Higher education minister: Malaysia proposes Asean Institute to unify regional expertise, offers to host in UKM
LANGKAWI, June 20 — Malaysia has proposed the establishment of an Asean Institute to consolidate expertise across various fields among member countries in the region.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir stated that this proposal was among the topics discussed during the Asean Higher Education Ministers' Roundtable here yesterday.
'Although certain countries have conducted studies at their respective university levels, there isn't a more comprehensive institute for all Asean member states,' he said at a press conference after the roundtable here yesterday.
He added that Malaysia has offered to host this Asean Institute, given the country's expertise, including through the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (Ikmas) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Furthermore, he noted that the roundtable also discussed student and academic mobility within the region, including exchange programmes that would allow foreign lecturers to teach at educational institutions in Malaysia.
'Additionally, we also agreed to establish a body to manage scholarship matters, namely Asean-GEMS. This platform will be utilised to seek financial resources among Asean member states to provide scholarships,' he said.
The Asean Global Exchange for Mobility and Scholarship (Asean-GEMS) is a one-stop platform for information about regional scholarship and mobility programmes throughout the Asean region that was launched last night.
This initiative will, among other things, provide access to opportunities and scholarship offers for all Asean students, while also supporting regional integration by encouraging youth mobility and cross-border academic exchanges.
Zambry further mentioned that other matters discussed included proposals to establish networks and collaborative platforms among Asean higher education institutions, and to ensure that all discussion outcomes are elevated to the Asean Heads of State Meeting in October.
He also remarked that this roundtable successfully brought together all ministers, representatives, and senior education officials from member countries, receiving positive feedback from regional and international participants.
Meanwhile, among the delegates, the Chairperson Commission on Higher Education (CHED) of the Philippines, Dr Shirley Castañeda Agrupis, praised Malaysia's efforts in hosting the dialogue, calling it a valuable platform for benchmarking best practices and addressing regional challenges.
She stressed the need for harmonising research agendas and recognising academic credentials across Asean member states.
'We dream of borderless education, but without mutual recognition of curricula, student and faculty mobility remains limited,' she noted.
Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Isesco) Dr Salim Mohammed Al-Malik has praised Malaysia's commitment to education and innovation following a series of high-level engagements during his visit to the 2025 Asean Ministers of Education and Higher Education Roundtables.
Dr Al-Malik underscored the pivotal role of Isesco in supporting its 53 member states, including Malaysia as a founding member, in advancing education, science, and culture, particularly among developing nations. — Bernama
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