Malay Studies Chair To Be Established At Russian University

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- A Malay Studies Chair will be established at a university in Russia to empower the study of the Malay language at the international level, says Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

Zambry, who is in St Petersburg, Russia, leading the Malaysian delegation to the Third Meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation Malaysia-Russia (JCESTC) said that he and his Russian counterpart, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, have agreed to the proposal.

"This matter will be further discussed at a higher level before it is finalised as Bahasa Melayu is offered as a programme at several prominent universities in Russia," he said in a statement today.

Zambry said the course curriculum would include Malay literature, the history of the Malay language, as well as the Malay and Nusantara cultural background.

Meanwhile, he said that the establishment of the Chair of Malay Studies would further elevate the prestige of the Malay language internationally, with improved cooperation between the Russian and Malaysian governments

"I have also proposed to send more Malay language lecturers and teachers from Malaysia to Russia, and at the same time, invite Russian lecturers to come to Malaysia for courses and to gain a deeper understanding of Malaysian culture," he said.

Previously, the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) established the Chair of Malay Studies at several institutions worldwide, including BFSU China, Ohio University in the United States, Leiden University (Netherlands), Victoria University (New Zealand), and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea.

The Third JCESTC Meeting also includes representatives from the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI), the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC), the Ministry of Education (MOE), and the Ministry of Digital.

-- BERNAMA