“Demand for Maldives Medical School increasing”

The Ministry of Higher Education, Labour, and Skills Development has reported receiving 500 applications from a single country for admission to the Medical School under the Maldives National University (MNU). The announcement was made while detailing the ministry’s achievements over the past year.

State Minister for Higher Education, Labour, and Skills Development, Dr. Abdulla Nazeer, emphasised the significant strides made during President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s first year in office, highlighting efforts to build human capital in the Maldives.

Dr. Nazeer noted the growing interest of foreign students in pursuing higher education in the Maldives, alongside Maldivian students seeking opportunities abroad. He revealed that 500 applications from one country were submitted in January this year for the MNU Medical School.

Currently, the MNU Medical School has prioritised enrolment for Maldivian students due to limited space and high local demand. However, the government aims to address this by establishing a larger, state-of-the-art medical school in Hulhumalé to accommodate more students, including those from abroad.

Dr. Nazeer outlined ongoing efforts to introduce international student visas and draft legislation to facilitate foreign students’ access to education in the Maldives. A new facility is also being developed in Hulhumalé to provide convenient accommodation for international students.

The State Minister highlighted the government’s goal of increasing foreign student enrolment to 5% of the 20,000 students currently pursuing higher education in the Maldives within the next five years.