Lenggong To Pioneer Open Education Hub Through Academic Collaboration – Shamsul Anuar

LENGGONG, April 2 (Bernama) -- Lenggong is set to be developed as an international open education hub through the involvement of 23 local universities in various research and development programmes centred on geotourism and education.

Lenggong Geopark chairman Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the initiative began with the organisation of the Lenggong Geopark Academic Visit programme, “Lenggong Open Education Site”, which brought together public and private higher learning institutions to showcase the area’s uniqueness and potential more comprehensively.

“Our focus moving forward is to develop Lenggong as an open education hub, enabling various studies and research to be carried out by universities, particularly in geology, biodiversity, ecology and cultural heritage.

“Not only that, it will serve as a catalyst for human capital development and strengthen Lenggong’s identity as an international centre of knowledge and heritage in the future,” he said.

He said this when met by Bernama after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the Lenggong Geopark Management Body here last night, which was officiated by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

Shamsul Anuar, who is also Deputy Home Minister and Lenggong Member of Parliament, said the collaboration includes the establishment of the UTM Geopark Geotechnology Centre in Lenggong as an initial step to strengthen the area’s role as a knowledge and research hub.

“This marks the beginning of more short- and long-term programmes to be implemented, and we expect more universities to be involved in Lenggong moving forward.

“Furthermore, the recognition of Lenggong as a UNESCO Global Geopark as well as a UNESCO  (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Site opens up vast opportunities for it to be positioned as a global academic reference centre,” he said.

He added that Lenggong’s rich natural and heritage assets, including forests, diverse flora and fauna, rock formations and local culture, offer vast opportunities for research and academic publications.

“All these must be documented, compiled into books and developed into journals not only for Malaysians, but also for the international community,” he said.

-- BERNAMA