-“Leading universities from Türkiye and Malaysia have been paired in specific fields”

-President of the Council of Higher Education Özvar: “We are launching joint initiatives across a wide range of fields, from artificial intelligence to aviation, and from the defense industry to green technologies”

-The two countries will also cooperate in technical and vocational education

-Özvar: “We proposed the establishment of a Türkiye-Malaysia Technical and Vocational Education and Training Center of Excellence. Malaysia is highly enthusiastic about it”

April 30, 2026

President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar held a series of meetings in Malaysia aimed at advancing cooperation between Türkiye and Malaysia in higher education to a much higher level.

Leading universities from both countries have been paired to launch joint initiatives in a broad range of areas, including artificial intelligence, aviation, defense industries, and green technologies. Türkiye and Malaysia have also accelerated efforts to cooperate in technical and vocational education.

At the second meeting of the Malaysia–Türkiye Higher Education Joint Committee, important decisions were made regarding cooperation in higher education between the two countries.

Under the agreement reached between the two sides, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Ondokuz Mayıs University will establish a joint “Environmental Biotechnology Satellite Laboratory.”

In addition, UTM and Middle East Technical University (METU) will establish a joint AeroLab focusing on drone design and wind tunnel testing.

Malaysia’s Al-Sultan Abdullah University of Pahang and Istanbul Technical University have been paired to cooperate in engineering fields. The two universities will also implement a twinning program.

Gebze Technical University and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS will collaborate in the areas of advanced cancer imaging, radiation safety, and AI-assisted healthcare technologies.

Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) proposed technology sharing in the field of GaN materials. METU proposed cooperation in robotics, artificial intelligence, and chip technologies, while Istanbul Technical University proposed technology sharing in Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing automation, IoT and AI integration, carbon reduction in maritime transportation, and digital finance and smart city infrastructure.

Officials from both countries also agreed to organize joint events in areas such as machine learning, health innovation, and mineral engineering, and to conduct joint research in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, machine learning, geophysics, special education, and advanced healthcare technologies. Furthermore, efforts will be undertaken to establish joint laboratories and innovation platforms in the fields of sustainable advanced materials, green hydrogen, energy storage, and renewable energy systems.

The two sides also agreed to develop Turkish and Malay language programs and cultural exchange initiatives, as well as to create joint digital archives focusing on Islamic, Ottoman, and Southeast Asian manuscripts.

President of the Council of Higher Education Özvar stated that one of the key dimensions of Türkiye-Malaysia cooperation is vocational and technical education, saying: “We reiterated our proposal to establish a Türkiye-Malaysia Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Center of Excellence. Malaysia is also highly enthusiastic about this initiative.”

Özvar emphasized that they believe the center of excellence will serve as a model initiative contributing to skills development and innovation.

“Our students should gain practical experience in technology companies”

As part of his engagements, Özvar visited ViTrox Technologies, one of Malaysia’s leading technology companies specializing in chip manufacturing.

Highlighting that students undertake internships and work at ViTrox, one of the successful examples of university–industry cooperation, Özvar said: “In Türkiye, we are also working meticulously to expand workplace-based practical education at both associate and undergraduate levels. It is of great importance for our students to gain hands-on experience, particularly in technology-oriented companies. Through international cooperation, we hope to expand these opportunities further.”

“Our cooperation will contribute to the advancement of the Islamic world”

Pointing out that Türkiye and Malaysia are not only partners in higher education but also like-minded countries sharing a broader strategic vision, Özvar stated: “We believe that our cooperation in higher education should not only serve our national interests, but also contribute to the advancement of our region and the wider Islamic world. In this context, initiatives such as leadership programs, institutional networks, and joint academic platforms will further strengthen our cooperation.”

Özvar concluded his visit to Malaysia and returned to Türkiye. He was accompanied by CoHE Deputy President Prof. Naci Gündoğan, CoHE Executive Board Member Prof. Erol Arcaklıoğlu, several university rectors, and İbn Haldun University Board of Trustees Vice Chairman Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan.