The Malaysian Minister of Higher Education, Zamri Abdul Qadir, delivered a lecture titled 'Creating the Future Together: Cooperation Between Malaysia and Russia in Higher Education and Innovation' at Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University.
In addition to students and postgraduates from the country's oldest technical university, young men and women from five other universities in the city—LETI, SPbSU, HSE, Polytechnic, and Marine Technical University—were present in the audience.
The speaker, representing one of the most respected countries of the Global South, discussed the potential prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between our nations, which have emerged in the context of the new global 'realpolitik.' Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a population of 35 million. The country has 92 universities, divided into multidisciplinary, research, and specialized institutions.
New opportunities and planning horizons were outlined by the minister, with a clearly expressed interest in them:
«The Malaysian government is committed to supporting international cooperation that helps our countries adapt to the challenges of the post-normal era. Joint efforts that will lead to the development of digital infrastructure, research collaboration, and educational reform will be of utmost importance, enabling both Malaysia and Russia to successfully navigate these turbulent times. Universities must compete and collaborate not only locally but also globally. I am pleased to note that Russia and Malaysia are moving in the right direction».
Among the audience's questions, two stood out the most. The first concerned the minister's view on the Pilot Project for the modernization of engineering education, initiated by the President of the Russian Federation. The response was unsurprising to the audience:
«What worked in the past is no longer a guarantee of future success. Relying on the traditional system may affect the position of universities in the global educational landscape. Thus, institutions must be ready to challenge established traditions, questioning long-standing beliefs and practices».
The students also inquired about Malaysia's position on the development of a multipolar world and the potential role of the education system in this process:
«We are eagerly looking forward to joining BRICS. I hope that Russia will support our bid for membership in this organization. In two weeks, our leaders will be attending the summit in Kazan. As for education, it is certainly a practical tool for advancing our mutual efforts and integration».
Malaysia is a country rich in natural resources, with substantial reserves of oil, tin, tungsten ore, bauxite, copper, iron, and deposits of coal, titanium, manganese, antimony, gold, phosphorites, niobium, tantalum, and yttrium. During the meeting between the university's rector, Vladimir Litvinenko, and Mr. Zamri Abdul Kadir, the conversation centered around mining technologies, including those for rare earth metals. The Mining University has several research centers focused on this field, with their technological advancements being successfully employed by both Russian and international companies.
During the discussion, a proposal to establish a Russia-Malaysia Raw Materials Forum was also considered. The parties agreed to hold the first session in Kuala Lumpur in the fall of 2025. Delegations from both countries, including prominent politicians, major industrialists, scientists, practicing engineers, educators, and promising graduate students, will participate.
Vladimir Litvinenko outlined the main topics for discussion: intensifying collaboration between mineral resource enterprises in the Russian Federation and Malaysia by creating this permanent dialogue platform, developing scientific and technological initiatives aimed at efficient resource utilization, and fostering collaboration between specialized higher educational institutions of the two countries, including joint research projects.
«In 2006, together with the Freiberg Mining Academy, we established the Russian-German Raw Materials Forum, followed shortly by the Russian-British Raw Materials Dialogue. For fifteen years, these platforms served as effective tools that promoted the development of mutually beneficial cooperation. There was an exchange of technologies and students, educational programs were standardized, and recommendations in the energy sector were developed for government bodies. The unfriendly policies of certain Western governments led to a break in relations, which our partners deeply regret and hope to restore the broken ties. We are ready to leverage the vast experience gained from holding major forums and the work of joint contact groups to forge new alliances and seize opportunities arising in Southeast Asia. We are open to dialogue, especially with a strong partner like Malaysia, and are committed to expanding our collaboration», - emphasized Vladimir Litvinenko.
«This is a highly relevant issue for both countries, as we represent nations whose economies are based on mineral resources. We must work together and unite. Moreover, there are certain industries that require advanced technological expertise and the development of scientific thought. This includes the field of mineral resource development. Malaysia and Russia need to jointly initiate this dialogue—an annual dialogue—through which we can bring together all the experts to sit down and explore the potential in this area, as well as exchange new discoveries or knowledge. This is one of the formats proposed by the rector. In my opinion, it is a brilliant suggestion, and we eagerly look forward to its implementation» - said Zamri Abdul Karim.
The Raw Materials Dialogue may begin its work in 2025 as part of the fourth session of the Joint Russian-Malaysian Commission on Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation in Malaysia. Participants on the Russian side will include major resource companies (PJSC Gazprom, PJSC Rosneft, PJSC Surgutneftegas, PJSC Lukoil, PJSC PhosAgro, JSC Russian Copper Company, and others), leading specialized universities that are members of the Russian Consortium of Universities "Nedra," and partners of the International Competence Center in Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO, which was established at Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University. On the Malaysian side, major companies and universities of the Kingdom will take part. The event's funding is expected to be based on bilateral arrangements.
