The Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Dr Ali Haidar has stated that he work towards recruiting foreign students to study in the Maldives by increasing participation in international higher education fairs. The Minister made the statement while speaking at the launch of the Exporting Education in the Maldives Consultation Workshop.
The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, brought together stakeholders to identify the steps to recruit international students to pursue higher education in the Maldives. The workshop was attended by 50 participants from various agencies and institutions including the Maldives National University (MNU), the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) and Maldives Immigration.
According to the Higher Education Ministry, the discussions explored critical areas such as student visas, pastoral care, quality assurance, and branding the Maldives as a destination for international students. The Ministry said the workshop marks a significant step towards making the Maldives a hub for global education
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, Minister Haidar stressed the importance of attracting international students, noting potential economic benefits. The Minister described the government's efforts to establish a visitor economy as part of efforts to diversify the Maldives’ economy, as an opportunity for the higher education sector.
“Modern resorts and recently introduced guest house business and liveaboards are products that can be easily sold to foreign youth interested in the hospitality industry. There are two internationally recognised universities and several colleges [in the Maldives]. Many programmes up to PhD have been accredited. Therefore, there is no reason why education should not be exported to such an accessible country,” he said.
The Minister said the workshop would help identify necessary legal and Key areas of focus include visa arrangements, residence arrangements and the establishment of a special legal framework.
The government is working to develop the higher education sector in the Maldives and increase the resources to provide quality education. The government's aim is to ensure that 5 percent of 20,000 higher education students studying in the Maldives are foreign students over the next five years.