Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) has strengthened its international education engagement in Indonesia through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Padang City Government, paving the way for 50 scholarship students from Padang to pursue bachelor’s degree studies at UniKL.
The MoU was exchanged on 6 August 2026 during the Seminar Pendidikan Tinggi in Padang, West Sumatra, held in conjunction with the city’s 357th anniversary.
The agreement reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to higher education, international academic mobility and cross-border education opportunities between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Representing UniKL at the MoU exchange was Vice-Chancellor (Research & Enterprise), Prof. Ir. Dr. Azmi Hassan, while the Padang City Government was represented by Padang Mayor Fadly Amran.
The exchange was witnessed by Prof. Dr. Fauzan, Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, and Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) Chief Executive Officer, Novie Tajuddin, who represented Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education.
Under the initiative, the scholarship recipients are expected to enrol in bachelor’s degree programmes at UniKL, including opportunities under the university’s Ulul Albab Huffaz Professional programme, which integrates professional higher education with Quranic memorisation development.
The first cohort is scheduled for the October 2026 intake, comprising 10 students from Padang, and five of them are expected to join the Ulul Albab pathway.
The partnership represents an important step in strengthening Malaysia-Indonesia higher education cooperation, while positioning UniKL as a destination for international students seeking industry-focused, technical and professional education in Malaysia.
The education seminar brought together more than 2,500 lecturers, teachers and students from across West Sumatra.
International representatives from Malaysia, Germany, Japan and China were also present, highlighting the growing importance of global partnerships in advancing education and human capital development.
During the seminar, EMGS CEO Novie Tajuddin was invited as a keynote speaker representing Malaysia’s higher education sector. Discussions also explored opportunities to expand transnational education (TNE) initiatives between Indonesia and Malaysia.
The initiative contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by widening access to internationally oriented higher education, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through cross-border cooperation involving universities, government agencies and the wider education sector.
