PUTRAJAYA (April 23): Malaysia's education system must be synonymous with the development of the country, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir.

He said this was in line with changes happening in new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“Balancing the country's development with the education system is imperative, moving forward. All this will be looked into as we plan for the next education blueprint from 2026 to 2035," he said in a statement on Tuesday, after his official visit to Limkokwing University of Creative Technology to witness the university's efforts in advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.

During his visit to the university, Zambry commended Limkokwing for being a trailblazer in creative arts education and a beacon of Malaysian academic excellence, and other private higher educational institutions for their dedication to offering a range of TVET programmes, including micro-credential programmes.

He said these programmes are vital to equip students with practical skills and knowledge, ensuring they are ready to contribute to Malaysia's development and competitiveness on the global stage.

"Limkokwing has been operating for 35 years with campuses around the world and they have been among the universities that bring the Malaysian brand to other countries. I’m here to see how it was executed.

"I was told that there are students from 160 countries here and this is a good achievement as it brings the Malaysian brand to other countries,” he said.

Meanwhile, group chief brand officer of Limkokwing University, Datuk Tiffanee Marie said that as the university announces its plans into Malaysia’s most forward-thinking TVET platforms, it is important to empower a new generation of leaders with Limkokwing.

"No doubt AI drones, meta-influencers and all this new technology has already spun us into a mad new digital world — the human skills in us also determine Industry 4.0 and it shouldn’t be downplayed, as AI can desensitise one day," she said.

Limkokwing University on Tuesday celebrated a significant milestone with its latest global partnerships with 15 esteemed parties from China, India, Australia, France, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Canada and the United Arab Emirates

The event is in line with the government's vision for international collaborations in education.