Timor-Leste has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening ties with Malaysia, recognising Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) as a key partner in advancing its human capital development.
The nation’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture, Mr. José Honório da Costa Pereira Jerónimo, praised Malaysia as a regional leader in education and a model for Timor-Leste’s aspirations, particularly as Malaysia prepares to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025.
“Malaysia stands as a beacon of educational excellence in the region. For Timor-Leste, partnering with Malaysia is essential for building a strong foundation in human resource development. Collaborations with institutions like UniKL offer us opportunities to elevate higher education and other critical sectors,” he said during a reciprocal visit to UniKL.
This visit followed an earlier delegation to Timor-Leste led by Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, which included representatives from UniKL. The discussions also led to several collaborations.
A major focus of the reciprocal visit was capacity building. Timor-Leste plans to send scholarship students to UniKL starting in 2025, targeting specialised fields such as water management systems and other areas critical to the nation’s development.
Tourism also emerged as a key area of collaboration. Plans are underway to establish a Polytechnic of Tourism in Lospalos, with Timor-Leste looking to UniKL’s expertise in tourism education to guide the initiative.
“Tourism is a vital sector for us, and we are impressed by UniKL’s programmes in this field. Our discussions included how UniKL’s experience can support us as we launch our first tourism-focused polytechnic in Lospalos next year,” the minister added.
