Maldives and Malaysia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will grant over 600 scholarships to Maldivian students aspiring to pursue higher education in Malaysia.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Higher Education in the Maldives, with the Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, H.E. Dr. Maryam Mariya, and the Chief Executive Officer of Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), Mr. Novie Tajuddin, representing their respective nations.
EMGS is the wing responsible for promoting Malaysia as the international education hub of choice and to position Malaysia as the Top 10 education destination. It is the principal body that manages the movement of international students in Malaysia, including facilitating visa processing. The role of EMGS includes marketing, carrying out promotional activities for Malaysian education institutions, and participation in international exhibitions and conferences.
The MoU paves the way for 611 scholarships across 14 esteemed Malaysian higher education institutions, offering tuition fee discounts ranging from 2% to a full 100%. The scholarships encompass a wide array of disciplines. The 14 Esteemed institutions include Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU), HELP University, International Medical University (IMU), IUKL, MMU, MSU, Sunway College, Sunway University, Taylor’s University, UCSI, UNITAR International University, University tun Abdul Razak, Xiamen University and Nilai University. This opportunity would provide Maldivian Youths to pursue Higher Education in areas of interest.
Beyond scholarships, the agreement fosters a broader educational partnership between the two countries. It outlines collaborative initiatives such as academic staff exchanges, joint research initiatives and publications, participation in seminars and conferences, and short-term administrative and management programs. Additionally, it opens doors for master's and doctoral students to engage in funded short- and medium-term research visits as well as postdoctoral fellowships for academic staff.
The High Commission's close partnership with EMGS was instrumental in reaching this positive conclusion.
This significant development aligns with President H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's vision of expanding higher education opportunities for Maldivians, a key priority of his administration. The President recently reiterated this commitment at a ceremony commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Centre for Higher Secondary Education, where he pledged to improve access to quality higher education throughout the nation.
