Private companies encouraged to contribute more to higher learning institutions

Private companies in the country are encouraged to make contributions in various forms, including research grants to higher learning institutions, especially public universities, to support their financial resources.

Education Minister Maszlee Malik said their tax-exempted contributions would help reduce the financial burden on the institutions, especially where research grants, which usually involve large amounts, are concerned.

He said the contributions would encourage the development of innovative products by students and lecturers that would benefit the community.

"We are seeing how universities have been creative by launching their own endowment and wakaf funds while engaging closely with the private and corporate sectors to boost their financial resources.

"For example, today we witnessed Xingyi Glass contributing RM1 million in research grants to Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM)," he told reporters after the Townhall Programme with the Education Minister at UTem in Melaka, today.

More than 4,000 students from 52 higher learning institutions in Melaka, including public universities, polytechnics, community colleges and vocational colleges, attended the programme.

Also present at the ceremony was the director-general of the Department of Higher Education Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir and UTeM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Raha Abdul Rahim.

Meanwhile, Maszlee said the programme was a platform to highlight the aspirations of the Education Ministry, especially in the context of higher learning and to foster collaborations between public universities, private higher learning institutions (IPTS), polytechnics, community colleges and vocational colleges in Melaka.

He said it was also to enhance effective interactions to generate more creative and innovative thinking among students.

- Bernama