EU TO BOOST COOPERATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- The European Union's (EU) two-day workshop, starting Monday, aims to explore the opportunities to improve academic quality through international collaboration in curriculum development and student mobility.

In a statement here Monday, its Ambassador/Head of the European Commission
Delegation to Malaysia, Vincent Piket, said education and knowledge workers were
integral elements to the growth of economies worldwide and quality higher
education certainly could cultivate students to this end.

He said economic growth of a country depended on its skilled talent pool, as
it increased confidence among foreign investors.

"We are confident that joint educational programmes will offer the best of
both worlds (Europe and Asia) to nurture a knowledgable workforce which
employers are readily looking for even in these uncertain economic times," he
said.

Prof Dr Ir Radin Umar Radin Sohadi, director-general, Department of
Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education and Piket jointly opened the
workshop.

The workshop, targeted at key members of academic world and government
representatives from Asia and EU, aims to provide a platform to discuss
programmes and projects where European and Asian institutes can collaborate.

It is organised within the framework of the EU-Asia Higher Education
Platform.
-- BERNAMA