BD, Malaysia deepen co-op in higher edn, workforce mobility

FE Report
Bangladesh has sought to expand overseas employment opportunities through enhanced skills development and internationally aligned education as Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur have moved to deepen cooperation in higher education and workforce mobility, a senior official at the expatriate welfare ministry says.
During a bilateral meeting in Putrajaya on Friday, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Education, Labour and Employment Mahdi Amin talked to Malaysia's Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir about widening collaboration in education, research, and skills training, according to the official.
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury was also present at the meeting.
The discussion placed particular emphasis on aligning academic pathways with labour market demands, with Bangladesh pushing for structured mechanisms that would allow its graduates to access employment opportunities in Malaysia.
Officials said Dhaka viewed international education as a key channel for boosting manpower exports by equipping workers with globally recognised qualifications.
Mahdi Amin underscored the need to expand scholarship opportunities for Bangladeshi students while ensuring proper safeguards for their welfare and integration.
He also called for stronger institutional linkages through university partnerships, joint programmes, and academic exchanges under transparent and sustainable arrangements.
The Malaysian side responded positively, signalling openness to increase scholarship allocations under the existing and future schemes.
Zambry Abdul Kadir also highlighted Malaysia's experience in hosting international students, noting that more than 11,000 Bangladeshis were currently enrolled, many of them in private institutions.
Both sides acknowledged the role of these students in strengthening socio-economic ties and agreed to explore mutually recognised qualifications, joint degrees, and flexible learning models, including distance education.
Graduate mobility and skills development featured prominently in the talks, with Malaysia expressing willingness to examine supportive frameworks in line with its international education policies.
Officials said the two countries agreed to advance cooperation through improved scholarship structures, enhanced student support systems, and long-term academic collaboration aimed at building a sustainable and knowledge-driven partnership while facilitating greater workforce mobility.
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