KOREAN UNIVERSITY CHOOSES M'SIA TO SET UP FIRST OVERSEAS BRANCH

PORT KLANG (Malaysia), May 25 (Bernama) -- The Korea Maritime University,
South Korea's renowned maritime university, has chosen Malaysia as the location
for its first ever overseas branch, Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled
Nordin said.

He said that the university, which is also South Korea's oldest, was
expected to set up the branch campus within a year but the location was not
decided yet.

"The university receives numerous requests from other countries to set up
the branch campus but it chooses Malaysia due to our strength in English
language and good infrastructure.

"The university is also aware of our efforts to be an education hub in the
region," he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of
understanding between Korea Maritime University and Maritime Training Education
Sdn Bhd onboard the ship "Hanbada" owned by the university at the Star Cruises
terminal in Pulau (island) Indah here.

Mohamed Khaled said the university's decision to open its branch in Malaysia
was also in line with the country's policy to internationalise its higher
education sector and provide opportunities for students to pursue education in
new academic fields.

"The Malaysian Maritime Academy has the ability to train students on how to
handle ships but if we want to be a maritime nation, we should have a large pool
of manpower capable of building and handling ships, as well as maritime
management, finance and insurance.

"These are fields offered by the Korea Maritime University," he said.
-- BERNAMA