KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Higher Education 2015 is set to be renewed through the Putrajaya Declaration on Higher Education 2025, which is expected to be the main reference for the direction of higher education at the ASEAN level.
The Ministry of Higher Education’s (KPT) International Relations Division secretary, Datin Noorazah Omar said that this aligned with Malaysia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN this year, which will see various higher education initiatives being introduced to enhance the competitiveness of academic institutions in the region.
She said that a drafting committee comprising academic experts and higher education professionals had been formed to review the original document from 2015 and improve and formulate the new document to make it more relevant to the current challenges and needs of higher education in ASEAN.
“With the changing global education landscape, the KPT has expressed its intention to ASEAN to renew this document by including new elements, such as advancements in TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) education and planetary health, in line with current developments.
“The Putrajaya Declaration on Higher Education will be presented and studied in detail at the Ministry of Higher Education Roundtable in Langkawi in June, before being brought to the ASEAN Summit in October in Kuala Lumpur for discussions with the leaders of member countries and (subsequently) launched,” she said.
She said this as a guest on Bernama TV’s “Apa Khabar Malaysia” programme’s “Cerita ASEAN” special segment today.
Noorazah said that to ensure the document is not only a theoretical reference but also adaptable in terms of comprehensive implementation, the KPT is planning key phases before it is officially adopted.
She also said that Malaysia is targeting seven main programmes during its ASEAN chairmanship this year to strengthen the country’s position in higher education and ensure that the effectiveness of the policies formulated can be translated into tangible implementation.
Malaysia, she added, hopes that with the implementation of these new programmes and plans, the higher education system in ASEAN will be more dynamic and competitive as well as able to meet the increasingly challenging global demands.
“With the creation of the Putrajaya Declaration on Higher Education, Malaysia will not only continue to stand out in higher education at the ASEAN level but also have the potential to be a regional and global higher education hub,” she said.
When Malaysia chaired ASEAN 10 years ago, the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Higher Education 2015 was introduced, outlining the direction of higher education in the region.
