THE Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) is expecting a larger allocation in the upcoming national budget, aligned with the impending launch of the Malaysia Higher Education Plan 2026–2035 scheduled for next year.
Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, said the projected increase in funding would support wide-ranging improvements across the higher education sector to meet the objectives outlined in the new long-term plan.
“When combined, the budgets for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education have consistently ranked among the highest,” he told reporters after officiating the Global Educators Awards (GEA) 2025 at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) last night.
“This time, we also expect—and hope—for a similarly substantial budget. In fact, there may be new elements announced by the Prime Minister. Our hope is that there will be an increase.”
Also present at the ceremony were UPSI Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff, Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Dr Anesee Ibrahim, and Perak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid.
Zambry added that GEA 2025 reflected Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to internationalising its higher education institutions.
“Each university has its own distinct identity. For example, UPSI is renowned for its strength in the field of education,” he said. “We have not always highlighted the legacy and significance of such institutions—UPSI is over 100 years old. GEA was conceived as a way of elevating the university to the global stage.”
GEA 2025, held from 2 to 4 October at the Dewan Tuanku Canselor in UPSI, featured a wide array of recognition-based events and academic exchange platforms.
Among the highlights were the Grand Educators Conference, the MADANI Values Education Forum, finalist showcases, and faculty and school visits by international educators seeking insight into local teaching practices.
A total of 244 nominations were received from 57 countries, including Russia, Australia, Argentina, South Africa, India, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. - October 5, 2025
