Malaysia leverages higher education as a strategic platform to strengthen ties with Africa, fostering global talent and investment through interconnected policies.
KUALA LUMPUR: Higher education has become a strategic platform to strengthen Malaysia-Africa cooperation by developing globally competent talent, advancing innovation and supporting high-value investment, said Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim.
He said education, trade, and investment should no longer be viewed as separate sectors, but as interconnected pillars that support emerging market partnerships.
“Through education, we cultivate top-tier, globally competitive talent, driven by our world-class universities that proudly stand among the global top 100. Through trade, higher education becomes an active economic driver by expanding international student mobility and global academic partnerships.
“Through investment, we catalyse innovation by forging deep, lasting links among universities, industry and government,” he said in his speech at the Symposium to Commemorate Africa Day 2026 themed “Education, Trade and Investment” at Sunway University here today, attended by Zimbabwe Ambassador Constance Chemwayi, who is also Dean of the African Heads of Mission (AHOM).
Adam Adli said the Ministry of Higher Education firmly believes that education is the ultimate catalyst for economic cooperation, as resilient trade channels require cultural intelligence while sustainable investment depends on a future-ready workforce.
On policy direction, he said the approach is reflected in the Malaysia Higher Education Internationalisation Policy 2025-2030, which connects education, trade, and investment as key pillars of international higher education cooperation.
The strategy, he said, also aligned with the Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint 2026-2035, which aims to ensure that the country’s higher education sector remains excellent, inclusive and future-ready.
Touching on Malaysia-Africa ties, Adam Adli said Malaysia deeply valued its longstanding friendship with African nations, including through the presence of thousands of African students in Malaysian universities, meaningful academic collaborations and stronger people-to-people ties.
The momentum, he said, was also supported at the highest level, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s tour to Africa, where he engaged directly with the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa.
Adam Adli said the launch of the inaugural Malaysia-Africa Higher Education Forum in Nairobi and the official state visit of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to Putrajaya further reflected the deepening ties between Malaysia and the African continent.
He also said there was vast potential for deeper collaboration in student and academic mobility, joint research, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), digital learning, food security, green technologies and 21st-century innovations.
“To the community of African students, researchers and professionals who have chosen Malaysia as your base, we truly value your presence here. You enrich our local communities, bring diverse perspectives to our society, and your success directly contributes to the shared progress and enduring friendship between Malaysia and the African continent,” he added.
