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Traditionally, a major source of outbound students to Asia-Pacific countries, Malaysia is now seeking to reverse that trend through new government and institutional initiatives aimed at attracting more international students in the region through streamlined, shorter admissions and approval processes.
University World News reports that Malaysia’s Deputy Higher Education Minister, Mustapha Sakmud, told the parliament on December 4 that the government is streamlining the centralized higher education admission system to better cater for international students.
The government is also drawing up a comprehensive 10-year higher education plan designed to consolidate its standing as a regional centre for higher education, he said.
He also said centralized admissions will “improve efficiency, accessibility, transparency and competitiveness in attracting international students.”
The ministry will also streamline the processing of applications through Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) – the arm of the ministry dealing with international students – and reinforce the role of international student offices in every university as one-stop centres for welfare, housing, health matters and cultural activities, he added.
The system currently overseen by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency is regarded as lengthy and in need of improvement, according to the ministry, which earlier this year set up a committee to establish the best way to implement a new system.
This could include, for example, “advanced algorithms and blockchain technology, enabling instant verification of qualifications and certificates submitted by international students,” Zambry Abdul Kadir, higher education minister, told the media at the time.
Sakmud also told the Dewan Rakyat that promotional efforts through Education Malaysia offices abroad were being stepped up, especially in West Asia, Africa and South Asia.
