The recent Uzbekistan-Malaysia Business Forum, held on February 5, 2025, at Grand Hyatt, marked a pivotal moment in strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations. The event, attended by YAB Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and President of Uzbekistan, TYT Shavkat Mirziyoyev, brought together key industry leaders to explore new opportunities for collaboration in trade, investment, and education.
A key highlight of the forum was the focus on higher education collaboration, which was emphasized in the Prime Minister’s speech:
“Education and higher education, and thank you Minister Zambry because there has been this forum organised yesterday (MOU Signing with Malaysian Universities @ UPSI) to increase the collaboration. Education and research, scientific research, technology in the fields of agriculture.”
The Prime Minister expressed optimism about deepening educational partnerships between Malaysia and Uzbekistan, recognizing Minister Zambry’s (MOHE) efforts in organizing discussions to enhance collaboration. He also highlighted President Shavkat’s commitment to reciprocal cooperation, ensuring that joint investments in education, scientific research, and technology—particularly in agriculture—are impactful and mutually beneficial.
Global Bridge Education’s Role in Expanding Educational Opportunities
As a key player in international student mobility, Global Bridge Education (GBE) was invited to witness the forum following a series of engagements with Uzbekistan officials. These discussions underscored the growing demand for quality postgraduate education and the opportunity for Malaysia to position itself as a preferred higher education destination for Uzbek students.
With Malaysia’s top public universities—University of Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)—offering globally recognized programs, GBE is actively working to expand postgraduate study opportunities for Uzbek students. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Malaysian universities at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) further solidifies this commitment, paving the way for greater student exchange, academic research collaborations, and knowledge transfer initiatives.
The Future of Malaysia-Uzbekistan Educational Cooperation
The Uzbekistan-Malaysia Business Forum reaffirmed that education remains a powerful bridge between nations. With both governments prioritizing higher education and research, the stage is set for deeper engagement in academic collaboration, student mobility, and cross-border research in agriculture and technology.
GBE is proud to support this vision, aligning with Malaysia’s national goal of attracting 200,000 international students by 2030. By fostering meaningful partnerships between Malaysian institutions and Uzbek students, GBE is helping to create a globally connected academic community, ensuring that higher education remains a key pillar of Malaysia-Uzbekistan bilateral relations.