The Korea Maritime University, South Korea’s renowned maritime university, has chosen Malaysia as the location for its first ever overseas branch, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.

He said that the university, which is also South Korea’s oldest, was expected to set up the branch campus within a year but the location was not decided yet.

“The university receives numerous requests from other countries to set up the branch campus but it chooses Malaysia due to our strength in English language and good infrastructure.

“The university is also aware of our efforts to be an education hub in the region,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Korea Maritime University and Maritime Training Education Sdn Bhd onboard the ship “Hanbada” owned by the university at the Star Cruises terminal in Pulau Indah here.

Mohamed Khaled said the university’s decision to open its branch in Malaysia was also in line with the country’s policy to internationalise its higher education sector and provide opportunities for students to pursue education in new academic fields.

“The Malaysian Maritime Academy has the ability to train students on how to handle ships but if we want to be a maritime nation, we should have a large pool of manpower capable of building and handling ships, as well as maritime management, finance and insurance.

“These are fields offered by the Korea Maritime University,” he said.

– BERNAMA