MARA to double Turkiye scholars next year, says Zahid

ISTANBUL, Nov 8 — The Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) aims to double the number of sponsored students sent to pursue their studies in Turkiye next year, following the successful placement of its pioneer batch of 17 students in September.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the target was part of efforts to expand international education opportunities for outstanding students while strengthening academic ties between Malaysia and Turkiye.

“I will ensure that MARA sends at least twice as many students next year to the same universities, namely Sabanci University and Yildiz Technical University,” he said in a brief speech at a dinner with Malaysian students and staff of the Malaysian Embassy in Turkiye here on Saturday.

Also present were Deputy Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary-General (Bilateral Affairs) Datuk Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin and Malaysia’s Honorary Consul in Bursa, Turkiye, Datuk Cevdet Sefer.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the students’ academic performance would be crucial in demonstrating that MARA had made the right choices in selecting them, thereby paving the way for more Malaysian students to benefit from similar opportunities in the future.

Ahmad Zahid, who also chairs the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, said Malaysian students pursuing their studies in Turkiye were not merely there to acquire knowledge but also served as young ambassadors of the country, reflecting Malaysia’s identity, character and image to the international community.

Meanwhile, MARA chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the placement of the first batch of students was successfully realised in September, just four months after discussions began, following Ahmad Zahid’s directive to expedite the initiative.

“These are not ordinary students.

“They are among the best, selected from two MARA preparatory colleges after demonstrating outstanding academic performance since their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations,” he said.

First-year Computer Science student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Sabanci University, Intan Alysha Safiya Hairil Alfian, 19, said MARA’s sponsorship had greatly helped meet her study expenses in Turkiye.

“MARA’s sponsorship has been a great help throughout our studies here, particularly the adequate living allowance, which is disbursed on time and makes things much easier for us as students living abroad,” she said when met at the event.

Meanwhile, first-year Mechatronics Engineering student at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Haziq Firdaus Ramzizan, 20, said the MARA sponsorship allowed him to concentrate fully on his studies without being overly burdened by financial constraints.

Earlier in the day, MARA strengthened academic cooperation between Malaysia and Turkiye through the signing of Letters of Collaboration (LOCs) involving Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM), and Sabanci University and Yildiz Technical University (YTU).

The collaboration with Sabanci University covers the exploration of joint undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, curriculum alignment and pathways to doctoral (PhD) studies through joint supervision and collaborative research.

The partnership with YTU focuses on ship design research and model testing, leveraging the university’s wave tank facilities as well as those at Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology (UniKL Mimet).

Ahmad Zahid is in Turkiye for a four-day working visit from November 5 to 8, which includes his participation as a panellist at the TRT World Forum 2026 at the Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC) yesterday. — Bernama

*Editor’s note: MARA stands for Majlis Amanah Rakyat in Malay.