DUTCH MARITIME INSTITUTE TO BERTH AT ISKANDAR MALAYSIA

PUTRAJAYA, June 4 (Bernama) -- In efforts to become a world-class education
hub in Asia, Education Iskandar Sdn Bhd Friday signed a landmark Agreement with
top maritime institutes from the Netherlands, to set up the Netherlands Maritime
Institute of Technology (NMIT) in Iskandar Malaysia, an economic zone in the
southern state of Johor.

The agreement was signed between Education Iskandar and Maritime Institute
Willem Barentz as well as Maritime Institute de Ruyter.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung who witnessed the signing
ceremony said NMIT would offer Diploma, Degree and Masters programmes in
transport, shipping, seafaring, maritime and logistics management.

NMIT will welcome its first intake of about 240 students at the beginning of
2011, with enrolment projected to reach approximately 1,620 students by end
2015.

"The setting up of the institute displays an unreserved zeal of the people
of Netherlands to want to share their wealth of knowledge, expertise and
experiences in matters of the maritime with the people of Malaysia.

"I hope people from other countries will also benefit when they learn of
the existence of NMIT here in Malaysia and choose to study in it," he said in
his speech at the ceremony here.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Maritime Institute de Ruyter, Diederik
August Verhagen said the aim was to increase the international standard of
maritime and logistics education.

"Developing NMIT in Iskandar Malaysia which is highly accessible to three of
the world's leading container ports in Malaysia and Singapore is a strategic
move that is advantageous not only for our institution but also for the
fast-growing maritime industry," he added.
-- BERNAMA