Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Mustapha Sakmud made a courtesy visit to the Acting Secretary of the East Java Region, Dr. Bobby Soemiarsono, to discuss potential educational collaborations between Malaysia and Surabaya.
The meeting occurred at the Surabaya government office, Gedung Negara Grahadi, during his official visit to the region. Deputy Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud was joined by Ambassador Datuk Syed Md Hasrin Tengku Hussin and Mohamad Azhan Md Amir, Deputy Secretary-General (Management and Development) of the ministry.
“We discussed about potential cooperation between Malaysian and Surabaya universities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) research programmes, as well as student and lecturer exchange programmes”, Mustapa wrote in a social media post.
The deputy minister visited Surabaya to provide encouragement to Malaysia’s athletes participating in the ASEAN University Games (AUG) 2024. The event was inaugurated by Indonesia’s Youth and Sports Minister Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo at the International Basketball Arena of Universiti Negeri Surabaya. In a brief video, Mustapha expressed optimism, "If badminton has the Sidek brothers, in pétanque, we have the Syed Ali children. All the best at AUG 2024 Surabaya, Indonesia".
During his visit, Mustapha also engaged with Malaysian students from Universiti Airlangga who are studying medicine, dentistry, and veterinary courses, seeking insights into their experiences and educational progress. “I’m impressed by the high spirit and dedication shown by our students in pursuing academic excellence and self-development. They not only strive for success in their studies but have been active in activities that would build their character and leadership”, he noted.
