Lenggong: Lenggong is set to be developed as an international open education hub through the involvement of 23 local universities in various research and development programmes centred on geotourism and education. Lenggong Geopark chairman Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the initiative began with the organisation of the Lenggong Geopark Academic Visit programme, 'Lenggong Open Education Site', which brought together public and private higher learning institutions to showcase the area's uniqueness and potential more comprehensively.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Shamsul Anuar emphasized that the focus moving forward is to develop Lenggong as an open education hub, enabling various studies and research to be carried out by universities, particularly in geology, biodiversity, ecology, and cultural heritage. This initiative aims to serve as a catalyst for human capital development and strengthen Lenggong's identity as an international centre of knowledge and heritage in the future.
He revealed this during a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the Lenggong Geopark Management Body, officiated by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad. Shamsul Anuar, who is also Deputy Home Minister and Lenggong Member of Parliament, highlighted that the collaboration includes the establishment of the UTM Geopark Geotechnology Centre in Lenggong as an initial step to strengthen the area's role as a knowledge and research hub.
Shamsul Anuar stated that this marks the beginning of more short- and long-term programmes to be implemented, with expectations for more universities to be involved in Lenggong moving forward. Additionally, the recognition of Lenggong as a UNESCO Global Geopark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site opens up vast opportunities for it to be positioned as a global academic reference centre.
He added that Lenggong's rich natural and heritage assets, including forests, diverse flora and fauna, rock formations, and local culture, offer vast opportunities for research and academic publications. He stressed the importance of documenting these resources, compiling them into books, and developing them into journals not only for Malaysians but also for the international community.