JAKARTA: The Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) is actively trying to attract students from Indonesia to continue their studies in Malaysia with the target of increasing the current 10,000 students by 20 per cent.
EMGS chief executive officer Novie Tajuddin said the number of students from the republic is the second highest in Malaysia after China out of a total of 160,000 foreign students from more than 160 countries.
In 2023, EMGS received approximately 4,600 applications from Indonesia, placing the country at the top among nations in the South-East Asian region.
"In mid-June, we will travel to Pontianak in West Kalimantan to find a way to accept students there to continue their studies in Malaysia," he said after the opening of the "Let's Study in Malaysia 2024" education exhibition at the Malaysian embassy complex in South Jakarta.
"This collaboration is not just about students coming to Malaysia. It is about improving the education in Indonesia and Malaysia. The lecturer exchange programme can also improve the position of science, society, country and our entire socioeconomics," Novie said.
The Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Syed Md Hasrin Tengku Hussin, in his opening speech said the exhibition opens up opportunities to explore and strengthen educational cooperation through forums, research and joint degree programmes.
In addition to reasonable fees and recognised study programmes, the experience of Indonesian students in Malaysia can boost the relationship between the two countries, he added.
The programme, jointly organised with Education Malaysia Indonesia on Wednesday, is the third location of the Kalimantan and Java tour series starting from May 11 to 16 in four cities - Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Jakarta and Bogor.
A total of 20 universities consisting of public and private universities, operating in Malaysia, participated in the exhibition, offering study programmes from diploma to PhD levels.
The ceremony was also attended by the Education Attaché at the embassy, Zulfadhli Hamzah; Jakarta Education Department training staff Cecilia Margaretha and heads of embassy departments. - Bernama
