Malaysia Offers Academic Expertise To Expand Cooperation With Central Java

By Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil

JAKARTA, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is offering to share its academic expertise with educational institutions and local communities in Indonesia’s Central Java province.

The programme is part of efforts to expand higher education cooperation beyond attracting Indonesian students to Malaysian universities.

Education Malaysia Indonesia (EMI) Director Dr Hasnul Faizal Hushin Amri said the initiative seeks to promote cooperation in education, training, academic mobility, international community service programmes and educational tourism.

“It is not just about educational programmes, but also how this expertise can be jointly utilised by communities in Central Java itself,” he told Bernama.

Hasnul said the initiative was highlighted at EMI’s Strategic Seminar and Malaysia Higher Education Exhibition 2026 in Semarang, Central Java, on Thursday.

The event brought together eight Malaysian public and private universities, education agents and nearly 300 provincial civil servants, including senior high school and vocational school principals.

Hasnul, who is also Minister Counsellor (Education) at the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, said Semarang was selected for the initial programme because of Central Java’s economic potential and capacity to support broader educational cooperation.

He said EMI would serve as a link between the provincial administration and Malaysian higher education institutions, facilitating networking and potential cooperation.

Malaysia currently hosts approximately 11,450 Indonesian students, with Hasnul citing accreditation recognition, affordability and geographical proximity among the reasons they choose to study in the country.

He explained that Indonesia recognised higher education quality assessments conducted by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), while Malaysia similarly recognised those carried out by Indonesia’s National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT).

Meanwhile, EMI, citing Central Java Education Office Secretary Sunarto, said the province was particularly interested in vocational education cooperation with Malaysian institutions, including polytechnics, to help students develop their skills.

In a statement, EMI said Sunarto also expressed interest in scholarship cooperation, noting that the provincial administration offered annual scholarships that could be aligned with fields of study relevant to Central Java’s needs.

-- BERNAMA