KUALA LUMPUR, 23 February 2017: Today's event brings together over a hundred key representatives of institutions for higher education in Malaysia, EU Member States representatives as well as representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education. The objective is to be informed on opportunities for international educational exchanges between the EU members States and Malaysia.
By organising this networking and information event, the EU underlines the great importance it attaches to people-to-people exchanges and student exchanges in particular, for fostering good relations between the EU and Malaysia. To this end specific information will be made available as well as presentations by EU specialists on EU funding and opportunities. The aim is to increase two-way educational exchanges and to stimulate contacts and cooperation between the EU Member States designated educational contact points and their Malaysian counterparts.
Through transnational partnerships and cooperation, we should come to the exchange of our best and brightest, to the benefit of both sides.
Speaking at the event, Maria Castillo Fernandez, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Malaysia reiterated that Europe has a lot to offer, with its highly reputed universities, academics and offering 'good value for money' education.
''We will further celebrate the 30th anniversary of the famous Erasmus+ programme; one of the EU's most successful programmes. For three decades, it has been offering in particular young people opportunities to gain new experiences and broaden their horizons by going abroad", Maria added. Erasmus+ has given 9 million people the chance to study, train, volunteer or gain professional experience abroad – which has helped raise an entire generation of Europeans.
Since 2004, more than 650 Malaysians (students and academics) have taken advantage of the EU-funded international mobility programmes. In 2016 alone, a total of 161 Malaysian students and academics were exchanged with the EU, while 79 European students and academic staff came to Malaysia.
