Malaysia has increasingly become a popular destination for study pursues recently due to various attributes such as the wide verbal implementation of English by the locals, affordable accommodation cost, unique travelling experiences and great opportunities offered at Malaysian higher learning institutions. Recently, over 30,000 international students have been engaging with Malaysian education annually for the past few years. This develops a proactive global learning environment for local students therefore The Ministry of Education targets to host 250,000 international students by 2025 for the enhancement of greater impacts.

Image: Istanbul city

 

Turkey is a firmly established tourist destination with nearly 40 million tourists visiting from all over the world in 2017 as cited in Invest in Turkey in which making it the 10th most popular holiday destination. The Turkish government is keen to extend this popularity into the international student market, with a target of 350,000 international students².

Malaysia – Turkey has a strong bilateral relation that can be traced many years back, through various agreements. In terms of the educational prospect particularly, Turkish Ministry of Education has opened the opportunity for both students and university staff worldwide to participate in semester exchange studies in Turkey through Mevlana Exchange Programme. Since then UPM has been receiving students from Turkey as well as sending out both of our staff for training purposes and our students for abroad studies. Through this initiative, there are many benefits gained particularly in boosting students and staff’s capability in academics, life skills and life experiences.

Image: Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, the President of the International Relations Council of Turkey officiating EURIE 2020

Image: Lutfi Kirdar Expo Hall that hosted 150 exhibitors from all over the world

Since the early 90s, UPM has opened its doors for mobility programmes and expansion to various educational initiatives such as semester exchanges, internships, research attachment, summer programmes, edu-tourism engagement and tailored professional capacity building programmes recently.  This year, PUTRA International Centre (i-PUTRA) has taken the opportunity to participate in Eurasia Higher Education Summit from 19 – 21 February at Lutfi Kirdar Convention Centre Istanbul. EURIE is known as the third largest education event in the world that conducted its latest meeting point for international higher education, connecting other parts of the world with the great potential of the Eurasian region. Throughout the programme, UPM booth was placed alongside other prestigious local universities such as USM, UTM, UiTM, IIUM and UTHM under Malaysian pavilion.

Image: From left, Ms. Nadia Zawani (i-PUTRA), Prof. Dr  Dr. Preethi Sheshadri Head of International Relations from Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology Tamilnadu India and Mrs. Fairuz of i-PUTRA

 

Image: The other Malaysian public universities taking part in EURIE with Turkey partners

Representing UPM is the Head of i-PUTRA Mrs. Fairuz Muchtar Bawaze’er and the Mobility Executive Officer Ms. Nadia Zawani Hussin. The objectives in taking part in this summit is to promote UPM newly constructed programme, PUTRA Experience Summer Programmes which is designed by 16 faculties while introducing Edu-tourism programme by Edu-park and few mobility products.  The three days summit has enabled i-PUTRA to build 44 new networking focusing on mobility potentials at universities in the United States of America, Austria, Qatar, Latvia, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey and etc.

Image: Promotional materials for visitor and meetings arranged throughout the summit

 

Image: Mrs. Fairuz on the left having networking session with Mr. Jean-Baptiste Joachim from Luxembourg School of Business International Department.

 

Image: EURIE 2020 Infographics

Image: Special-arranged closed networking session between Turkish and Malaysian universities with special appearance by CoHE Executive Board Member Prof. Dr. Zeliha Koçak Tufan and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın held on the last day of the summit.

 

Image: Eurasia Higher Education Summit-EURIE 2020, organized by the Eurasian Universities Association (EURAS) for the fifth time this year, ended with the closing ceremony in which the family photo was taken at the Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Centre.

 

Throughout the three days summit, the event provided networking platform and notable talks from worldwide speakers which have benefited the attendees. UPM was exposed to many opportunities such as expanding networking and promoting our mobility programmes. i-PUTRA is certainly looking forward to welcoming new partners and foreign students to our beautiful green campus since the summit.  

Reference:

1. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2019/10/20/delivering-malaysian-education-to-the-world

 

 

Prepared by Nadia Zawani Hussin

Date of Input: 15/04/2020 | Updated: 13/10/2022 | sitiafiqah