An educational revolution is occurring in Malaysia. The top 500 of the latest QS World University Rankings® includes five Malaysian institutions, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is ranked 31st in the QS Top 50 under 50 (a ranking of the worlds top 50 universities under the age of 50). In addition to this, Kuala Lumpur came 44th in QS’s Best Student Cities 2012 ranking.
This has not gone unnoticed by internationally mobile students, and the nation seems as close as any to achieving the educational hub status sought by many in the region. It is currently the world’s 11th largest exporter of educational services, with over 90,000 international students from more than 100 nations studying in the country.
The HE minister, Mohamed Khaled, proposed increased investment in research and scholarship in January this year. In 2011, 6,243 candidates were granted MyMaster sponsorship and 1,391 MyPhD scholarships were awarded. This year’s allocated investment is RM80 million (US$25.3 million) for 8,000 MyMaster candidates, and RM50 million (US$15.8 million) for 1,000 PhDs and 100 candidates for the Industry-PhD program. Investment to encourage quality research publication has also been announced; RM2 million (US$0.6 million) for the High Impact Publication Program.
The My-scholarships are implemented under the MyBrain15 program, initiated in 2011 to fund qualified candidates for graduate study. The Critical Agenda Project aims to achieve 60,000 Malaysian PhD holders by 2023. A new initiative under this banner is also being launched – MyBrainSc – to produce quality pure science staff.
Malaysia is making a concerted effort to encourage science among students in secondary school after figures revealed that enrolment within the science field had dropped up to 29% since 2007. Khalin said: “We need to impress upon students that science is the basis of innovation, and innovation is the basis of technology and economic transformation”. The target set by the Science and Technology Human Capital Direction Plan 2020 of 60% science stream and 40% arts is yet to be achieved.
Another RM5 million (US$1.6 million) is to be invested in a Research Acculturation Collaborative Effort to encourage non-research universities to enter the research sphere.
The rapid expansion and progression of Malaysian HE has been coupled with political policy reform. Five of Malaysia’s public HEI’s have been granted autonomy – Khaled considers this to be a “prerequisite to creating a dynamic campus environment”. Laws restricting students’ participation in political affairs have also been relaxed, as the concentration towards HE surges forward with widespread reform.
The Ministerial Key Results Area (MKRA) under the Government Transformation Program (GTP) set the new targets for the HE Ministry. Khalid announced in 2011 that Malaysia intends to achieve HE developed nation status by 2020.
EduCity, Malaysia’s international education complex, launched in 2008, has also supported the country’s educational internationalization. Eight international universities have set up campuses at the complex; many students matriculate this year with intended campus expansion over the next five years. The Education Malaysia Global Services has also been set up to speed up visa applications for international students.
Malaysia achieved a revenue exceeding RM61 million (US$19.3 million) from R&D revenue in 2011, more than six times the target of RM10 million (US$3.2 million).
The Ministry is also investing heavily in staff training to meet the raising standards. The target of 70% success rate for numbers of lecturers with postgraduate degrees at research universities was achieved (73%). At non-research universities, a 28% target was set, with 34% achieved. Programs including the MyMaster, MyPhD and PhD, Skim Latihan Akademik IPTA (SLAI), and Skim Latihan Akademik Bumiputera (SLAB) have provided lecturers sponsorship to obtain postgraduate degrees.
It appears that the Malaysian education revolution has only just started, raising standards, and increasing investment, enrolment, and demand for staff; the reforms and progress of Malaysian HE may still be embryonic, the full potential, however, is rapidly being developed.
International academic job seekers, it seems fair to assume, will be among the main beneficiaries of this – profiting from both increased research investment, a more research led environment and greater teaching opportunities in a country which is looking to build on a rapidly improving reputation.
This has not gone unnoticed by internationally mobile students, and the nation seems as close as any to achieving the educational hub status sought by many in the region. It is currently the world’s 11th largest exporter of educational services, with over 90,000 international students from more than 100 nations studying in the country.
Investment in the future
The HE minister, Mohamed Khaled, proposed increased investment in research and scholarship in January this year. In 2011, 6,243 candidates were granted MyMaster sponsorship and 1,391 MyPhD scholarships were awarded. This year’s allocated investment is RM80 million (US$25.3 million) for 8,000 MyMaster candidates, and RM50 million (US$15.8 million) for 1,000 PhDs and 100 candidates for the Industry-PhD program. Investment to encourage quality research publication has also been announced; RM2 million (US$0.6 million) for the High Impact Publication Program.
The My-scholarships are implemented under the MyBrain15 program, initiated in 2011 to fund qualified candidates for graduate study. The Critical Agenda Project aims to achieve 60,000 Malaysian PhD holders by 2023. A new initiative under this banner is also being launched – MyBrainSc – to produce quality pure science staff.
Malaysia is making a concerted effort to encourage science among students in secondary school after figures revealed that enrolment within the science field had dropped up to 29% since 2007. Khalin said: “We need to impress upon students that science is the basis of innovation, and innovation is the basis of technology and economic transformation”. The target set by the Science and Technology Human Capital Direction Plan 2020 of 60% science stream and 40% arts is yet to be achieved.
Creating a research environment
Another RM5 million (US$1.6 million) is to be invested in a Research Acculturation Collaborative Effort to encourage non-research universities to enter the research sphere.
The rapid expansion and progression of Malaysian HE has been coupled with political policy reform. Five of Malaysia’s public HEI’s have been granted autonomy – Khaled considers this to be a “prerequisite to creating a dynamic campus environment”. Laws restricting students’ participation in political affairs have also been relaxed, as the concentration towards HE surges forward with widespread reform.
The Ministerial Key Results Area (MKRA) under the Government Transformation Program (GTP) set the new targets for the HE Ministry. Khalid announced in 2011 that Malaysia intends to achieve HE developed nation status by 2020.
EduCity, Malaysia’s international education complex, launched in 2008, has also supported the country’s educational internationalization. Eight international universities have set up campuses at the complex; many students matriculate this year with intended campus expansion over the next five years. The Education Malaysia Global Services has also been set up to speed up visa applications for international students.
Malaysia achieved a revenue exceeding RM61 million (US$19.3 million) from R&D revenue in 2011, more than six times the target of RM10 million (US$3.2 million).
The Ministry is also investing heavily in staff training to meet the raising standards. The target of 70% success rate for numbers of lecturers with postgraduate degrees at research universities was achieved (73%). At non-research universities, a 28% target was set, with 34% achieved. Programs including the MyMaster, MyPhD and PhD, Skim Latihan Akademik IPTA (SLAI), and Skim Latihan Akademik Bumiputera (SLAB) have provided lecturers sponsorship to obtain postgraduate degrees.
It appears that the Malaysian education revolution has only just started, raising standards, and increasing investment, enrolment, and demand for staff; the reforms and progress of Malaysian HE may still be embryonic, the full potential, however, is rapidly being developed.
International academic job seekers, it seems fair to assume, will be among the main beneficiaries of this – profiting from both increased research investment, a more research led environment and greater teaching opportunities in a country which is looking to build on a rapidly improving reputation.
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