Mara to double number of students sent to Turkiye next year

ISTANBUL: More Malaysian students will have the opportunity to pursue higher education in Turkiye next year, as Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) plans to double its sponsorship intake.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the move was part of efforts to strengthen academic ties between the two countries.

"I will ensure that, at the very least, Mara will send twice the number of students to the same university next year," he said at a dinner with Malaysian students and Malaysian Embassy staff on Saturday night.

The first batch of 17 Mara-sponsored students at Sabanci University are pursuing degrees in computer science and engineering, mechatronics engineering, molecular biology and bioengineering, data science, finance, materials science and electronics engineering.

Zahid said they were expected to prove themselves as among the best in their fields upon the completion of their four-year studies.

Present were Foreign Ministry deputy secretary-general (bilateral affairs) Datuk Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin and Malaysia's Honorary Consul in Bursa, Turkiye, Datuk Cevdet Sefer.

Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, was on a four-day working visit to Turkiye from Nov 5 to yesterday.