The third meeting of the Working Group on Education, Science, and Technology of the Joint Russia–Malaysia Commission on Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation was held at the National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University.
The meeting was opened by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Airat Gatiyatov, and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, Datuk Anesi Bin Ibrahim.
During the meeting, a significant increase in cooperation between Russia and Malaysia across all areas was noted, particularly in the fields of education and science. It was specifically emphasized that 2027 will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, providing additional momentum for the development of bilateral ties, including in academic and scientific spheres.
Pavel Shevtsov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, discussed the growing interest among Malaysian students in pursuing education at Russian universities. He reported that 40 state-funded quotas have been allocated for Malaysian citizens for the next academic year. As of now, 167 applications have been submitted, of which 29 candidates have passed the preliminary selection.
The central theme of the presentation by Vice-Rector for International Affairs of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, Evgeniy Lyubin, was the progress of the Russia–Malaysia Mineral Resources Dialogue. The project was initiated in October 2024 following the third meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in Saint Petersburg and received support from both sides. The first meeting of the Dialogue’s Organizing Committee took place on November 11, 2025, on Langkawi Island, with the participation of 30 representatives from governmental, professional, and academic communities. As a result, the structure of permanent working groups was approved, and a plan for further work was agreed upon.
«The Russian side continues to confirm its interest in developing cooperation in the field of mineral resources — both in science and education, and in the implementation of practical resource projects in the Russian Federation and Malaysia», — Evgeniy Lyubin noted in his report.
At present, the main implementing partner on the Malaysian side is the University of Malaya. An agreement has been reached to hold the next in-person meeting of the Organizing Committee in Russia in the middle of this year. The first full-scale Russia–Malaysia Mineral Resources Dialogue is planned to be held in person at the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
Concurrently, academic collaboration remains active, with a joint remote scientific seminar for postgraduate students and young scientists from both countries scheduled for late May.
