Malaysia is gaining worldwide recognition as a preferred destination for tertiary and higher education. Currently ranked 11th worldwide by UNESCO for its appeal to students, the number of international students at various public and private institutions of higher learning has increased significantly form below 2000 in 1995 to 75,000 in 2009. Of this, about a third are from China and Indonesia, while the rest mainly from MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa) and Western Asia.
The National Higher Education Action Plan (2007-2010) has identified the need for an international vigour to foster a conducive learning environment for all tertiary students. Realizing this need, various measures have been undertaken to further promote Malaysia as a regional centre in selected cities worldwide and forging pioneering collaboration channels in international public and private institutions of higher learning.
Vision: To make Malaysia a center of higher education excellence through the internationalization of our nation’s higher education programs.
Mission: To internationalize Malaysian higher education through effective marketing programs and collaboration with overseas governments, agencies and educational institutions.
Objectives:
- To ensure that the national higher education system possesses international characteristics in transforming Malaysia into an excellent international hub of higher education.
- To ensure that the marketing programs for higher education is executed according to the planned strategies.
- To ensure that the latest and most accurate information regarding education opportunities at institutions of higher education is disseminated in and outside the country
- To ensure that the collaborative programs between institutions of higher education in Malaysia and international institutions/bodies are carried out effectively.
- To obtain and enhance foreign countries’ recognition on academic programs conducted by Malaysian institutions of higher education.
Strategies:
To achieve the above objectives, the following strategies are suggested:
- Enhance global networks of higher education and collaborative international academic activities at all levels.
- Expand suitable programs of study for international students
- Increase the number of international students, especially in the private HEIs through promotion and marketing of Malaysia as an excellent international hub of higher education.
- Promote higher education in Malaysia through gradual re-branding of HEIs to attain international status.