- President of the Council of Higher Education Özvar attended the Türkiye-Malaysia Higher Education Forum and invited Malaysian students to study at Turkish universities

- Malaysian students welcomed Özvar with a traditional Malay dance and expressed their enthusiasm with slogans such as “We love Türkiye,” “We want to go to Türkiye,” and “Türkiye and Malaysia are brothers”

- Malaysia’s Minister of Higher Education Kadir announced that his government will provide scholarships for Malaysian students to study in Türkiye

April 29, 2026

Malaysian students will come to Türkiye for higher education through the Malay Scholarship program. President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar attended the Türkiye-Malaysia Higher Education Forum as part of his visit to Malaysia and invited Malaysian students to pursue higher education at Turkish universities.

Malaysia’s Minister of Higher Education Zambry Abd Kadir announced that they aim to strengthen cooperation with Türkiye in the field of higher education and, in this context, will send students to Türkiye as government-sponsored scholarship recipients.

A total of 68 rectors from Malaysia attended the Türkiye-Malaysia Higher Education Forum. In addition, 17 rectors, 10 vice rectors, and officials from the Ministry of Higher Education participated in the Türkiye-Malaysia Joint Technical Committee meeting held the previous day.

Özvar and his delegation were welcomed by Malaysian students with the traditional Malay Zapin dance. Students expressed their enthusiasm with chants such as “We love Türkiye,” “We want to go to Türkiye,” and “Türkiye and Malaysia are brothers.”

Engaging with the students, Özvar stated that they would like to see more Malaysian students at Turkish universities, with the aim of advancing academic cooperation between the two countries and increasing student mobility.

Highlighting Türkiye’s strong academic infrastructure, its research- and innovation-oriented university ecosystem, and its high-quality, multidisciplinary education opportunities, Özvar noted that these advantages offer significant opportunities for international students and will contribute to strengthening lasting academic and cultural ties between the two countries.

- “We Have Not Forgotten Gaza, and We Will Not Let It Be Forgotten”

In his speech at the forum, Özvar referred to the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza resulting from Israeli attacks, stating: “As a country and as a higher education community, we have not forgotten what is happening in Gaza, and we will not let it be forgotten.”

Noting that an entire generation in Palestine has been deprived of its right to education, Özvar continued:

“Türkiye has not remained indifferent to this tragedy. Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish universities have opened their doors to students from Gaza and exempted them from tuition fees.

Moreover, by supporting academics and students who have faced restrictions at universities in the West for expressing their views, we have reaffirmed our commitment to academic freedom. We believe that the global higher education community must act with a shared sense of responsibility. Despite the declaration of a ceasefire, we strongly condemn the ongoing attacks in Gaza and also criticize the continued silence on this issue.”

- “We Are Now in the Implementation Phase”

Özvar stated that relations between Türkiye and Malaysia have long been shaped by mutual respect, trust, and a strong sense of partnership, emphasizing that higher education is one of the key pillars of this cooperation.

He stressed that they view education not merely as a sector but as a strategic field that shapes the future of societies, strengthens economies, and builds lasting connections between peoples, adding: “In recent years, our cooperation in higher education has gained significant momentum. The 2nd Joint Committee Meeting has been a milestone in our collaboration and has established a comprehensive roadmap that will elevate our higher education systems to a more advanced level of cooperation. We are now in the implementation phase.”

- “We See Great Potential”

Emphasizing the importance they place on strengthening inter-university cooperation through result-oriented partnerships, Özvar stated: “At the same time, we see great potential in expanding joint research initiatives in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, green technologies, sustainability, the defense industry, and aviation.”

He also noted that another important dimension of cooperation is technical and vocational education and reiterated the proposal to establish a Türkiye-Malaysia Technical and Vocational Education Center of Excellence as a model initiative that would contribute to skills development and innovation.

Highlighting that academic and student mobility is one of the most visible and effective components of international cooperation, Özvar stated that current mobility levels do not yet fully reflect the potential of the two countries.

“For this reason, we are determined to increase the exchange of students, academics, and researchers and to create more opportunities for young talents from both countries,” he said, emphasizing the importance they attach to strengthening student mobility.

Özvar concluded: “Türkiye and Malaysia are not only partners in higher education but also countries that share a common vision. We believe that our cooperation in higher education should contribute not only to our national interests but also to the development of our region and the broader Islamic world.”

Özvar was accompanied during the visit by Deputy President of the Council of Higher Education Prof. Naci Gündoğan, CoHE Executive Board Member Prof. Arcaklıoğlu, several university rectors, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ibn Haldun University Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan.