Minister of Education, Dr. Maszlee Malik had paid a visit to EduCity in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, to get a closer look at the unique concept and education opportunities offered at the fully integrated education hub. Higher Education Department Director-General, Datin Paduka Ir. Dr. Siti Hamisah Tapsir and Chairman of Education Malaysia Global Services, Dato’ Abdul Rahman Mohamed Shariff, accompanied the minister during the half-day site visit.
“The Ministry is very pleased with the various initiatives and investments by Khazanah Nasional Berhad and Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) in building a comprehensive education hub in Iskandar Puteri which is also the first of its kind in Malaysia and this region. Equipped with comprehensive infrastructure, EduCity offers a “plug & play” concept in the set-up of any faculty/campus in EduCity. This makes EduCity an ideal location for any international/local university to start or expand their presence in Malaysia,” said Dr. Maszlee during his inaugural visit to EduCity.
He further added that both public and private higher learning institutions must work together and share resources and responsibilities that would greatly benefit the education ecosystem especially in areas of research and development, training and apprenticeship. “Private and public institutions can also play a part in making sure that deserving, bright Malaysians will get an opportunity to receive a quality education by offering scholarships. No one should be left behind.”
EduCity currently has nine education partners; some are offering best-of-class education by opening their leading faculties at the RM800 million Iskandar Puteri campus ground. The education luminaries at EduCity are Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NuMed), University of Southampton Malaysia Campus (USMC), University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM), Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology (NMIT), Multimedia University (MMU), Raffles University Iskandar (RUI), Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), Marlborough College Malaysia (MCM) and Raffles American School (RAS). There are over 4,000 students currently pursuing their primary, secondary and tertiary education at EduCity, and the hub has produced over 3,000 graduates who have entered the local and international workforce, especially in the robust Iskandar Malaysia corridor.
Students across the institutions at EduCity share centralised facilities such as comprehensive sports facilities that include indoor and open stadiums, swimming pools, tennis and multi-purpose courts, a student village and recreational lakes within the 300-acre campus ground.
Concurring with the statement by Education Minister, Datuk Ir. Khairil Anwar Ahmad, the President/Chief Executive Officer of IIB said, “EduCity is committed to supporting the Ministry in pursuing the national education agenda. We will adapt the call by Dr. Maszlee to embark a public-private partnership in national tertiary education development. EduCity will collaborate with the Ministry to promote Malaysia as the preferred education destination internationally.”
Dr. Maszlee also spent an hour with some student representatives, the management staff of EduCity and the hub’s university partners in a simple tea session.
