Ho chi minh city: Public and private higher education institutions have been encouraged to establish small consortia in Vietnam focusing on their respective strategic fields.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Firdauz Othman, emphasized that Malaysia and Vietnam share strong and close ties, especially in education. These ties could be further strengthened through strategic institutional cooperation. The bilateral relationship between the two countries has continued to grow stronger following their entry into a new and dynamic era through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in November 2024.

Firdauz Othman highlighted the importance of such cooperation in enhancing the higher education ecosystem through the sharing of expertise, student mobility, and collaboration between institutions. He made these remarks after the symbolic presentation of the Ibnu Sabil contribution from the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs), handed over by Perlis Raja Muda Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail.

The presentation ceremony was held in conjunction with the Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) International Leadership Mobility (ILM) programme. The programme was led by Tuanku Syed Faizuddin, who serves as the university's Chancellor, alongside Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Dr Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil, UniMAP Pro-Chancellor 1. Their daughters, Hajah Sharifah Khatreena Nuraniah Jamalullail, UniMAP Pro-Chancellor 2, and Hajah Sharifah Farah Adriana Jamalullail, were also in attendance.

Firdauz pointed out that UniMAP's strategic areas, such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, smart agriculture, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and educational tourism, could be promoted. He noted that these positive developments reflect significant potential to expand educational cooperation between the two countries, particularly through institutional networks and mobility programmes.