- Malaysia hosts the first-ever Malaysia-Africa Higher Education Forum 2025 in Nairobi, reinforcing its commitment to Global South cooperation and internationalisation in education.
- Graced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the forum brought together policymakers, universities, and regulators to deepen collaboration in research, talent mobility, and skills development.
- The event featured Malaysia-Africa MoU signings, a Study in Malaysia Education Fair, and extensive institutional linkages, supporting Malaysia’s goal of hosting 250,000 international students by 2030.
The Malaysia-Africa Higher Education Forum 2025, MAHEF2025-Africa, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi, marked a seminal moment in Malaysia's deepening engagement with the African continent in the field of higher education. Organised by Education Malaysia Global Services, EMGS, in collaboration with Malaysia's Ministry of Higher Education, MoHE, and Kenya's Ministry of Education, the forum represented the first edition of MAHEF to be hosted in Africa.
Designed as a biennial event to be held across different African nations, this inaugural forum underlined Malaysia's growing commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation and expanding educational partnerships across the region. Gracing the occasion as the Guest of Honour, Malaysia's Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, further elevated the significance of the forum, aligning with his broader Africa engagement visit.
Themed 'Intensifying Internationalisation in the Context of the Global South Agenda', the forum aimed at deepening cooperation with Malaysia and the participating African countries on higher education, research, and talent mobility. The Malaysian delegation was spearheaded by Datuk Dr. Anesee bin Ibrahim, Secretary-General of MoHE, accompanied by high-ranking officials including Datuk Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman and EMGS CEO Novie Tajuddin. The gathering brought together policymakers, university leaders, students, alumni, regulatory bodies, and government representatives, creating a comprehensive platform for dialogue and collaboration.
In his speech, the prime minister highlighted the shared historical experiences of Malaysia and African nations, where both have been united in facing the same struggles against colonialism and bonded by the idea that education is at the heart of dignity, progress, and national development. He reemphasized Malaysia’s commitment to expanding skills exchange, deepening institutional collaboration, and fostering inclusive education opportunities between nations of the Global South.
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Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Migos Ogamba, echoed this sentiment, maintaining that consolidated cooperation on education and research would be required to meet contemporary issues regarding climate change, digitalization, and employability among youth. Datuk Dr. Anesee bin Ibrahim said that due attention was being paid to every opening for broadened linkages, scholarship pathways, and joint research to create long-term impact. EMGS Chief Executive Officer Novie Tajuddin said that MAHEF2025-Africa heralded deeper engagement with participating African nations through increased physical presence as well as digital outreach.
The Forum has acted as a strategic anchor for government and institutional partnerships, giving momentum to various activities in the areas of STEM collaboration, university-to-university linkages, transnational education, academic exchanges, and postgraduate research. The high point of these series of events was the signing and exchange of multiple Malaysia-Africa MoUs, a shared vision toward advancing academic excellence, capacity building, and research innovation. These programs do directly reinforce Malaysia's aspiration to elevate its global prominence under the Malaysia Education Blueprint and further strengthen its positioning as a leading higher education hub within the Global South.
Running concurrently with the forum was the Study in Malaysia Education Fair and Counsellor Workshop, which saw the participation of almost 500 individuals over two days, where 12 Malaysian universities were represented, with over 150 Conditional Offer Letters issued. More than 400 participants attended MAHEF2025-Africa, further attesting to the rising demand for Malaysian education pathways and contributing meaningfully toward Malaysia’s target of hosting 250,000 international students by 2030.
