Malaysia, Algeria Sign MoU To Expand Cooperation In Higher Education

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Dec 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Algeria on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand their cooperation in the field of higher education in a bid to turn Malaysia into educational hub in the region. The MoU was inked by Malaysian Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh and Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Prof Dr Tahar Hadjar. Idris said with the MoU, Malaysia and Algeria agreed to give full cooperation and support to the educational and scientific relations between the institutions of higher education in the two countries. "With the signing of the five-year agreement, a joint working group will be set up to plan all the programmes to be implemented at the ministerial level," he told reporters after the signing ceremony here. He said Malaysia and Algeria would also encourage activities, such as exchange of academic staff, researchers and students, as well as experience and expertise, between higher education institutions and scientific research centres. Idris said the Malaysian government would also offer 10 scholarships to Algerian students to pursue their studies in Malaysia under the Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) scheme. Meanwhile, Prof Dr Tahar said Algeria was interested in learning from Malaysia's experience in higher education, especially in the field of Islamic Studies. "Apart from that, we also want to learn from Malaysia in the fields of Economics and Islamic Finance," he added. The Higher Education Ministry in a statement said the signing of the MoU was expected to expedite the recognition process of Malaysian universities by the Algerian government. "The presence of Algerian students in Malaysia will be the catalyst in luring more students from Islamic countries, especially from North Africa and hence turning Malaysia as a new destination for higher education," he said. --BERNAMA