Education

  Star Education Fair

Sunday December 27, 2009

Looking at local options first

By RICHARD LIM

TO keep the best brains in the country, more scholarship recipients may end up reading their first degrees locally.

Higher Education Ministry Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that Malaysia’s higher education landscape had improved greatly over the years and instead of sending students overseas, scholarship agencies could look instead at local options.

Apart from cutting costs, it is hoped that a steady stream of top Malaysian students would boost the profile of local higher education institutions (IPTs).

Mohamed Khaled (centre) discussing the ministry’s upcoming nationwide carnival with ministry deputy secretary-general Omar Abdul Rahman (left) and its director-general Prof Radin Umar.

“To have the best universities, you need the best students,” he said in his speech during the soft launch of the ministry’s nationwide carnival at the Pan Pacific KLIA hotel.

“Apart from the 20 public IPTs, Malaysia also has 45 private IPTs, including five overseas branch campuses. These institutions – especially the research universities – are ready to cater to the scholarship recipients.

“Unless the students are studying strategic courses like medicine or have been accepted by Ivy League institutions, there is no real need to send them abroad.”

Mohamed Khaled added that going abroad was no guarantee that scholarship recipients would come back with a globalised outlook as studies showed that many Malaysians studying overseas chose to stick to their comfort zones - grouping together instead of mixing with the local populace.

He added that the presence of many foreign students in Malaysia enabled local students to further their cultural understanding without leaving the country.

More student mobility programmes would also be established for the scholarship recipients to enjoy short stints overseas to appreciate a different modus operandi.

Mohamed Khaled said that the ministry had already held informal discussions regarding the matter with the Public Service Department (JPA) and Mara – the two biggest bodies sending students overseas.

The ministry also plans to adjust the current academic calendar to appeal more to international students.

The current intake which begins in June and July sees Malaysia starting ahead of most other countries, hampering international student recruitment.

“Many foreign students are yet to receive their high school exam results and our different holiday breaks complicate student mobility programmes,” said Mohamed Khaled.

He added that a meeting would be held next week with the Education Ministry regarding the matter.

Ministry director-general Prof Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said that if the go-ahead was received, the new university intake would begin in August or September to mirror countries in the northern hemisphere.

When contacted, Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom confirmed the meeting.

However, he said that it was highly unlikely that any changes would be made in 2010.

On the nationwide carnival which rides under the tagline Jom Masuk U, Mohamed Khaled said that the effort reflected the ministry’s commitment to provide greater access to higher education for all Malaysians.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will launch the carnival which will kick off on Jan 9, next year, at PERSADA in Johor Bahru.

The outreach programme will make a total of 10 stops nationwide.

Mohamed Khaled said the carnival was purposed to provide convenience to universities and applicants alike and career counselling would enable students to make “informed choices”.

Sudies detailing the employability of graduates in respective fields would also be provided during the carnival.

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