Limkokwing University today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to educate and empower refugee youth, by providing customised skill training courses targeted at preparing them for their future.
The Presidential Library of Limkokwing University’s Cyberjaya campus witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UNHCR’s Representative in Malaysia, Mr. Richard Towle and Limkokwing’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Dato’ Gail Phung.
Under the MOU, a panel consisting of UNHCR and Limkokwing University representatives will be given the task to choose 100 qualified refugee youths to pursue their studies in a wide variety of modular trainings offered in the University beginning from the February intake in 2015.
“Our primary objective is to help deserving young refugees pursue professional qualifications geared towards future employment and giving them hope for a brighter future.”
“The UNHCR is deeply grateful to Limkokwing University for its commitment in giving the youth the opportunity to realise their potential, and lift themselves and their families from poverty and disadvantage,” said Richard Towle.
Tuition fees for the selected refugee youth will be waived, funded by Limkokwing University, as an initiative to extend a helping hand to uplift the lives of the young refugees. Limkokwing University’s joint effort with UNHCR will open doors of knowledge and a brighter future for the refugee youth to rebuild their lives which was taken away from them at a very young age.
“The special programmes are designed to contribute to self-reliance of these refugees by providing them with professional and vocational training which will benefit them with new skills that will be helpful for them as they progress to the next country,” explained Dato’ Fajura Juffa, the MC for the event, in her opening address.
Currently, there are over 150,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia, of which 30,000 of them are youth and children below the age of 18 who do not have access to formal education. Lack of professional skills, formal education and qualifications will be a barrier for them to move on in the future.
“These youths that we have offered to train will, hopefully, form the basis of a spin-off development that will cascade down to improve the education of other refugee children and youth who don’t have the qualifications to get into high schools,” expressed Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing, Founder and President of Limkokwing University.
Recently appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador by the Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia, Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing has made it his mission in life to contribute to causes that would improve the lives of others. Tan Sri Lim, who passionately promotes humanitarian and peace awareness to the world, sees this effort as the University’s contribution in assisting and supporting UNHCR’s noble cause of safeguarding the rights and well-being of refugees in Malaysia.
Previously, Limkokwing University had been actively involved in joint projects with other global agencies of United Nations (UN) like ‘Heal The World’ initiative with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and HIV/AIDS Youth Awareness campaign with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its aim to contribute to peace-keeping and social awareness.
Such collaborations with these global organisations are examples of Limkokwing University’s seriousness in fulfilling its mission of being a global institution striving not only to stimulate creativity and innovation but also to instill a sense of responsibility and social awareness in today’s youth towards global issues.