Malaysia, Vietnam sign MoU on higher education

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said among the objectives of the MoU was to increase the number of Vietnamese students at the private higher learning institutions in Malaysia from over 500 currently to about 5,000.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said although the agreement was reciprocal, Malaysia might benefit more from this MoU as there would be more Vietnamese students coming to Malaysia for further studies.

At a news conference with Malaysian journalists, he said for Vietnam, Malaysian was perhaps seen as a destination for its students due to the lower cost involved compared to other countries but with its standard of educatioon at par or higher.

He said there was also no obstacle for Malaysians to further their studies in Vietnam as the latter was nore advanced in certain fields like agriculture although generally Malaysia was more developed.

Muhyiddin signed the MoU on behalf of the Malaysian government, while Vietnam was represented by its Minister of Education and Training, Prof Pham Vu Luan.

The MoU was signed in conjunction with his two-day official visit to Vietnam. Also present to witness the signing was Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thein Nhan.

Other areas of cooperation identified under the MoU are exchange of information on the system and structure of higher education, reforms and new educational technologies, and bilateral programmes between recognised institutions of higher learning in technical, vocational and higher education.

It also includes exchange of education literature, teaching aids, information and demonstration materials, the organisation of relevant exhibitions and seminars, credit transfers and similar programmes between recognised institutions of higher learning, and support for mutual assistance in the areas of information and communications technology and technical education.

Before the signing of the MoU, Muhyiddin held a one-hour discussion with Nhan which touched on education, economic issues, trade and investment, defence and security, manpower and agriculture.

Muhyiddin said Vietnam was keen to sign an MoU on agriculture with Malaysia, with Nhan suggesting a special MoU on padi and rice supply, and he (Muhyiddin) would ask the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry to follow up on this matter.

On the economy, Deputy Prime Minister Nhan said Vietnam was happy with the cooperation between Malaysian and Vietnamese companies and hoped that more Malaysian companies would invest in Vietnam.

Muhyiddin said he told Nhan about Malaysian companies' interest to come to Vietnam and wanted the Vietnamese government to give attention to a number of issues and matters usually faced so that these could be resolved or expedited.

He also informed Nhan of the interest of Malaysian private companies to venture into oil and gas exploration in Vietnam.

He explained how Malaysia had overcome problems faced by the private sector, for example, by setting up PEMUDAH (Special Task Force to Facilitate Business) and Nhan stated the possibility of sending Vietnamese officials to Malaysia to learn about it.

On the issue of manpover, Muhyiddin said Nhan stated that Vietnam was keen to continue with the understanding established since 2003 but was not very active now.

He said manpower supply depended on the interest of the private sector to hire, while Malaysia would look into the suitability of setting up a training institution in Vietnam.