Memorandum of Understanding Signed between the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and PETRONAS Çarigali (Turkmenistan) Sdn. Bhd.

On 21 August 2026, a significant meeting was held at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. The meeting was attended by Minister of Education of Turkmenistan J.Gurbangeldiyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia to Turkmenistan Mohd Suhaimi bin Ahmad Tajuddin, as well as a delegation of PETRONAS Çarigali (Turkmenistan) led by its Chief Executive Officer, Ismadi bin Ismail.

During the meeting, the current state of cooperation between Turkmenistan and Malaysia in the field of education, as well as prospects for its further development, were discussed. Particular attention was paid to the importance of cooperation in the training of highly qualified personnel for the oil and gas industry.

The long-standing and productive activities of the Malaysian company PETRONAS in Turkmenistan represent a clear example of long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. With the support of the company, scholarships are regularly provided to Turkmen youth to pursue studies at prestigious higher education institutions in Malaysia. The opportunities created for young people to study at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS are of particular importance for the training of qualified specialists. It was also proudly noted that the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, is an Honorary Doctor of this prestigious higher education institution.

To date, nearly 20 cooperation documents have been signed between Turkmenistan and Malaysia in the field of education. It was also noted that in June this year, within the framework of the visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia to Turkmenistan, three agreements on student exchange and academic mobility programmes were signed between three higher education institutions of Turkmenistan and Universiti Tenaga Nasional of Malaysia during the international scientific and practical conference and exhibition entitled “Turkmenistan–Malaysia: 30 Years of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation in the Oil and Gas Industry.”

In addition, the results of the Memorandum between Yagshygeldi Kakayev International University of Oil and Gas, PETRONAS and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS were highlighted. Within the framework of the ongoing cooperation, lecturers and students of the Turkmen higher education institution regularly participate in professional development courses at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS.

One of the key events of the meeting was the signing ceremony of the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and PETRONAS Çarigali (Turkmenistan) Sdn. Bhd.” This significant event coincided with the 30th anniversary of PETRONAS’ cooperation with Turkmenistan in the oil and gas sector.

The signing of the Memorandum will create important conditions for further developing cooperation in education and professional training, implementing new joint initiatives and projects, and creating additional opportunities for young people to enhance their educational and professional qualifications.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties expressed confidence that cooperation between Turkmenistan and Malaysia in the field of education would continue to develop and that the objectives set out in the Memorandum would be implemented in practice in the near future.

Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan