Malaysia: We want 100K FT students
-
Oct 10, 2005
KL wants 100,000 foreign students
Malaysia in race for education dollar as competition heats up in region
By Leslie Lau
Malaysia Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA is stepping up its drive to woo more foreign students to the country as the race for the education dollar heats up.
With an eye on competition from Singapore, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi announced last week an ambitious target of attracting 100,000 foreign students by 2010.
Government officials have also announced new measures even as they acknowledged the failure to achieve an earlier target of attracting 50,000 foreign students by this year.
There are 40,000 foreign students in Malaysia - 32,000 undergraduates and 8,000 in secondary and primary schools.
The government said last week that it will allow 38 private colleges to continue offering 'joint degrees' with foreign partners, and plans to attract more universities to set up branch campuses here.
Officials said the government would also consider applications from nearly 500 private colleges which want to offer these 'joint degree' programmes that can be completed fully in Malaysia.
Many private colleges here offer degree programmes that require students to complete the final one or two years at the foreign partner university, usually in the United States, Britain or Australia.
These new moves are among a host of measures being introduced as part of an ongoing review of higher education in Malaysia.
'We want Malaysia to be a regional centre of excellence for higher education, but we have failed to reach our targets. More needs to be done to attract foreign students, especially with competition from Singapore,' a Higher Education Ministry official told The Straits Times yesterday.
He said Malaysia wanted to make it easier for foreign students to complete their studies while maintaining high standards, and to make it cheaper for Malaysians too.
The official, who declined to be named, said attracting reputable foreign universities to set up branch campuses in Malaysia remains a major part of the government's strategy.
'If more established universities set up base here, it will make Malaysia attractive as a destination,' he said.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Shafie Salleh said last week that many foreign students found it tedious to apply for visas when transferring their studies from Malaysia to another country.
'If more private colleges are allowed to fully conduct their courses here, the number of international students can be increased,' he said.
The Straits Times understands that Prime Minister Abdullah has directed a comprehensive study of the education industry, and an independent body has already made some recommendations to the government.
The push to allow private colleges to fully conduct courses here is one recommendation.
Education officials are also likely to be sent overseas to woo more foreign universities to set up base here.
Recently, the University of Nottingham Malaysian Campus, built at a cost of RM120 million (S$54 million) on a 41ha site, was officially opened. It can take in more than 5,000 undergraduates.
Australia's Monash University was the first foreign institution allowed into Malaysia. It set up its branch campus about 10 years ago.
Other notable names like Curtin University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are also in the midst of setting up programmes in Malaysia.
Prime Minister Abdullah had said that the government recognised education as a major industry and would implement policies to complement private education. -
NTU/NUS suck ranking can go fa.rk spider. their fees are cheaper and top uni like MIT are being wooed to srt up shop there....another blow...
how are we going to survive then? -
they can start importing from us..
-
At least sgporean NS slave can benefit..Go to Malaysia cheaper and nearerOriginally posted by stellazio:they can start importing from us.. -
watever we can do , Malaysia can do it 10x......
They just sit there , wait for us to rack our brains and come up with solutions and then they replicate.......and get more benefits.......
Next time at lest can get to woo KL hottie gals than stupid sinka b{tches who live in a perpertual dreamworld.... -
Nothing to worry abt.
Ranking should not be the central reason why we aim to woo top students to study here.
The world does not revolve ard being a top 10 university.
In any case, given the state of Malaysia's education now, they have lots to improve, starting with abolishing the bumiputra laws that favour a percentage reservation list of muslims for direct entry into uni. -
To follow = zero creativityOriginally posted by Mr Soh:watever we can do , Malaysia can do it 10x......
They just sit there , wait for us to rack our brains and come up with solutions and then they replicate.......and get more benefits.......
Next time at lest can get to woo KL hottie gals than stupid sinka b{tches who live in a perpertual dreamworld....
That's why the aim is to be a world leader....to set the pace. Nobody ever said that was going to be easy. -
what is wrong with that? So long they have enough places to go around....Originally posted by BillyBong:Nothing to worry abt.
Ranking should not be the central reason why we aim to woo top students to study here.
The world does not revolve ard being a top 10 university.
In any case, given the state of Malaysia's education now, they have lots to improve, starting with abolishing the bumiputra laws that favour a percentage reservation list of muslims for direct entry into uni.
Even Singapore got laws for that too.... -
Linux will overtake MS in the future...but MS is the world leader....It can still be toppled..Originally posted by BillyBong:To follow = zero creativity
That's why the aim is to be a world leader....to set the pace. Nobody ever said that was going to be easy. -
it is wise to import high intelligent. to be the No.1, or to be no.
-
if me go study in University of Malaya, m i considered FT?
-
Will they make Malay language a mandatory subject as criteria to enter their Uni? Similar rules like English and CHinese muz pass or get certain grades in order to enter Spore Uni? Spore english muz have B3 above then can exempt so tough.... else need take English Proficiency module for one semester and pass it with the china ppl so cham
-
What's wrong is that they reserve slots for malay students even though a large percentile don't deserve or lack the qualification. In the end, many are 'snuck' in by the back door, depriving qualified and more capable students places in the university.Originally posted by Mr Soh:what is wrong with that? So long they have enough places to go around....
Even Singapore got laws for that too....
Ever wonder why there are so many malaysian chinese (and many of them are really bright) pouring over the causeway to grab vacancies in local Us?
Their loss = our gain. -
yah man....Originally posted by BillyBong:Ever wonder why there are so many malaysian chinese (and many of them are really bright) pouring over the causeway to grab vacancies in local Us?
and their chinese is damn good...........
-
It happens everywhere..they should build more uni to cater for them....Originally posted by BillyBong:What's wrong is that they reserve slots for malay students even though a large percentile don't deserve or lack the qualification. In the end, many are 'snuck' in by the back door, depriving qualified and more capable students places in the university.
Ever wonder why there are so many malaysian chinese (and many of them are really bright) pouring over the causeway to grab vacancies in local Us?
Their loss = our gain. -
Not really. What i was trying to say is that for Malaysia, UNDESERVING students get places while many capable ones are rejected.Originally posted by Mr Soh:It happens everywhere..they should build more uni to cater for them....
For SG and many other countries, there is a quota in place for local students, but the bar is always set to ensure some measure of quality and meritocracy.
We are not bound by race or religion. -
Well they have this belief the lands belong to their ancestors so they should have some privilege just in case they lag behind we the C race. So you can see all the policies and benefits that are skewed in their favour.
And wat do we C race do, we seize the chance to make money by offering them a better deal to them but in fact a much bigger deal for us C race. Example.... govt give them motor to be fitted onto their sampans so they can fish more fast and effieciently. Wat we C race do? We go offer M race money for their motor and then resell to make a profit. The M race see got money sure take lor. In the end they still revert back to non-motorised boat for fishing.
We C race are the most cunning and cleverest race hence can survive in so many countries -
racist!Originally posted by sohguanh:Well they have this belief the lands belong to their ancestors so they should have some privilege just in case they lag behind we the C race. So you can see all the policies and benefits that are skewed in their favour.
And wat do we C race do, we seize the chance to make money by offering them a better deal to them but in fact a much bigger deal for us C race. Example.... govt give them motor to be fitted onto their sampans so they can fish more fast and effieciently. Wat we C race do? We go offer M race money for their motor and then resell to make a profit. The M race see got money sure take lor. In the end they still revert back to non-motorised boat for fishing.
We C race are the most cunning and cleverest race hence can survive in so many countries -
Originally posted by sohguanh:
Well they have this belief the lands belong to their ancestors so they should have some privilege just in case they lag behind we the C race. So you can see all the policies and benefits that are skewed in their favour.
And wat do we C race do, we seize the chance to make money by offering them a better deal to them but in fact a much bigger deal for us C race. Example.... govt give them motor to be fitted onto their sampans so they can fish more fast and effieciently. Wat we C race do? We go offer M race money for their motor and then resell to make a profit. The M race see got money sure take lor. In the end they still revert back to non-motorised boat for fishing.
We C race are the most cunning and cleverest race hence can survive in so many countries 
-
Meritocracy is not a good thing either. I support the M way of doing thing..A least there will be mixed amount of people high up....Originally posted by BillyBong:Not really. What i was trying to say is that for Malaysia, UNDESERVING students get places while many capable ones are rejected.
For SG and many other countries, there is a quota in place for local students, but the bar is always set to ensure some measure of quality and meritocracy.
We are not bound by race or religion. -
Why do you consider meritocracy bad?Originally posted by Mr Soh:Meritocracy is not a good thing either. I support the M way of doing thing..A least there will be mixed amount of people high up....
People / students should be based on their ability, not a favourable national law that grants special privileges which marginalise more capable peers.
What exactly do you mean when you 'prefer a mixed amount of people high up...'? Is your preference leaning towards having a mix of race and religion, as compared to a deserving and qualified mix, even if the former does not take the best of the lot? -
they cant even achieve the 50k target set earlier, now they want 100k.
-
to avoid seregation of society...Originally posted by BillyBong:Why do you consider meritocracy bad?
People / students should be based on their ability, not a favourable national law that grants special privileges which marginalise more capable peers.
What exactly do you mean when you 'prefer a mixed amount of people high up...'? Is your preference leaning towards having a mix of race and religion, as compared to a deserving and qualified mix, even if the former does not take the best of the lot? -
if u are M race, think about this.
you have a lot of M race as the big shots in government.
and you see that all the top unit , big houses, big cars belong to C race...
what do you think? you will ask the big shots to do something... otherwise, you don't vote them...
same in Singapore. if C race all are staying HDB while angmoh/indians are staying in condo, you think you will not complain to LEE family?
sure one.. and you will hope that some rules must apply to restrict...
so, whoever advocate equality... i think they can only say that if they are the disadvantage side...