Open university provides accessible, borderless higher education for Asean people — Idris
PUTRAJAYA: The Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL) must take the lead in establishing an open university to provide accessile, borderless higher education for people in the Asean region.
In making the call yesterday, Malaysia’s Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said it was time for ASAIHL, which was founded in 1956, to take the lead in establishing ASAIHL Open University.
“Asean has a sizeable youth pool of 145.2 million. They need quality higher education at an affordable cost and able to enrol regardless of where they reside.
“I would also like to suggest that every member university offer online courses or online degrees that are recognised by member universities,” he said at the ASAIHL 2016 Conference, here, yesterday.
His speech text was read out by Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching. The three- day conference themed “Borderless Open Access Education” gathers experts in the field of education from all over the world, especially from the Asian region, to focus on issues such as higher education, the borderless world and the accessibility of education for every individual.
Meanwhile, Idris urged universities in the Asean region to exploit the use of new technology to offer programmes not only to member states but throughout the world. — Bernama