ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) brought together 200 participants at the Malaysia and Central Asia Higher Education Forum 2026 (MAHEF2026), including representatives of 18 Malaysian universities and universities from across Central Asia.
The Malaysian delegation also included officials from the Ministry of Higher Education and vice chancellors from Malaysian universities. Among them were YBhg. Datuk Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman, Director General of Higher Education at Malaysia's Ministry of Higher Education, Dr. Shamsuri Abdullah, Director General of the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education, and YBhg. Prof Dato' Dr. Mohammad Shatar Bin Sabran, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).
Held in Astana, the forum builds on the shared interests discussed during ministerial engagements in Astana on 26 September. Malaysia's Minister of Higher Education, Y.B Dato' Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, and Kazakhstan's Minister of Science and Higher Education, H.E Sayasat Nurbek, highlighted the potential for closer ties between their countries' higher education institutions.
Under the theme "Advancing Malaysia and Central Asia Higher Education Transformation," MAHEF2026 connects Malaysia with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It brings policymakers and universities into the same conversation to identify how stronger institutional ties can create opportunities for students, academics and researchers in both regions.
Participants are examining practical routes for cooperation, including joint and dual degree programmes, credit transfer, scholarships and student mobility in both directions. The forum also provides space to explore transnational education models and research partnerships that match the strengths of participating institutions.
"Ministerial engagement has given us a clear direction. MAHEF brings that conversation to the universities, where programmes are designed, research partnerships are built and opportunities for students take shape," said Datuk Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman.
"With 18 Malaysian universities in Astana, we have an opportunity to identify where our strengths meet those of Central Asia. The value of this forum will be seen in the work our institutions take forward together."
The day's programme features plenary discussions on transnational education and student mobility and on TVET and digital skills cooperation. An experts session addresses quality assurance, mutual recognition and accreditation, all of which are important when institutions develop programmes and students move between education systems. The programme also includes a document exchange between universities, followed by an afternoon session for institutions to explore potential partnerships.
For EMGS, the discussions at MAHEF are part of a wider effort to strengthen education ties between Malaysia and Central Asia, with students at the centre of that work.
"Students have long connected Malaysia and Central Asia. MAHEF gives us the chance to build on that connection through more opportunities to study, stronger research partnerships and closer collaboration under the context of Transnational Education," said EMGS Chief Executive Officer Novie Tajuddin.
"By bringing institutions together in Astana, we can begin turning shared interests into programmes and opportunities that benefit students in both regions. EMGS will continue working with the universities to carry these conversations forward."
The forum builds on an established student relationship. As of June 2026, approximately 3,726 students from the five participating Central Asian countries were studying at Malaysian higher education institutions. More than 3,100 applications were received from those countries between January and August 2026, an increase of 11 per cent compared with the same period last year.
During MAHEF's launch on 26 September, EMGS signed a memorandum of understanding with a Higher Education Development Centre in Kazakhstan, providing a further basis for cooperation in academic exchange and student mobility.
About Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS)
Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) is an official agency under the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. EMGS promotes Malaysia as a talent and knowledge hub and a preferred education destination for international students. It also facilitates the movement of international students to Malaysia, including visa processing.
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MALAYSIA-CENTRAL ASIA HIGHER EDUCATION FORUM 2026 ADVANCES UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS AND STUDENT MOBILITY
