University Education In Malaysia: Student Population Insights

Malaysia's higher education sector is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). In 2011, the country's higher education institutions (HEIs) housed over a million students, including around 93,000 international students from more than 100 countries. Malaysia had 20 public universities, 50 private universities, six foreign university branch campuses, 403 active private colleges, 30 polytechnics, and 73 public community colleges in 2011. These institutions offered a diverse range of tertiary qualifications at affordable prices.

How many university students are there in Malaysia?

Malaysia's higher education sector is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). In 2011, the country's higher education institutions (HEIs) housed over a million students, including about 93,000 international students from more than 100 countries. At the time, Malaysia had 20 public universities, 50 private universities, six foreign university branch campuses, 403 active private colleges, 30 polytechnics, and 73 public community colleges.

The number of students in Malaysia's higher education system has grown over the years. As of December 2021, there were about 331 active private colleges in the country. Additionally, there are now more than 20 research universities in Malaysia, with five of them having been assigned research university status and receiving additional funding for research and development and the commercialisation of research.

The Malaysian government has shown a strong commitment to education, with the education sector consistently receiving the highest national development budget. The government aims to make Malaysia a centre of educational excellence and has implemented various initiatives to achieve this goal.

The Ministry of Higher Education has outlined several priorities to enhance the country's higher education system and make Malaysia an international centre of educational excellence by 2020. These include optimising the resources of existing public and private higher education institutions, intensifying investments in science and technology, and increasing the number of researchers, scientists, and engineers in the country.

The quality of higher education in Malaysia is assured through the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), which is responsible for implementing the Malaysian Qualifications Framework, accrediting courses, and ensuring the quality and standard of higher education institutions.

How many international students are there in Malaysia?

Malaysia has experienced a growth in its higher education sector, with universities gaining international recognition and attracting students from across the globe. As of 2024, there are over 1 million students enrolled in Malaysian universities, with more than 130,000 of them being international students. The Malaysian government has supported this growth through initiatives such as scholarships, student loans, and funding programs.

The main draw for international students is the affordable, high-quality education offered in a multicultural environment. Malaysia's diverse academic programs and relatively low tuition fees have made it an attractive study destination, especially for students from China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, and the Middle East. The country aims to increase its international student population to 250,000 by 2025.

In 2023, there were approximately 44,000 international students from China alone enrolled in Malaysia's higher education institutions. A large proportion of international students in Malaysia come from Muslim countries, and the majority of them are enrolled in private higher education institutions.

The popularity of Malaysian universities among international students has positively impacted the country's higher education scene. Their enrollment boosts university rankings and contributes to the country's economy and cultural diversity on campuses.

How many Malaysians study overseas?

Malaysia has a large number of students who dream of studying abroad in Western countries. However, many are unable to do so due to the substantial funding required. Studying in countries like the UK, US, Australia, and Canada requires significant financial resources to cover tuition fees, currency exchange differences, and the high cost of living in most cities.

Despite these challenges, there are alternative pathways for Malaysian students to obtain a foreign degree without breaking the bank. Here are some options:

• Advanced standing pathway for an overseas degree: Students can pursue a course offered by a foreign university through collaborations with Malaysian institutions. This allows for partial or full recognition of credits earned at a Malaysian private higher educational institution (HEI), enabling advanced entry into the foreign university's degree program.
• Do a '3+0' degree in Malaysia: Students enrol in a degree program at a Malaysian college or university that collaborates with a foreign partner university. They complete the entire degree in Malaysia at a lower cost but receive a foreign degree qualification.
• Study at a foreign university branch campus: There are reputable foreign university branch campuses in Malaysia that offer identical courses to their main campuses overseas. Students benefit from lower living costs and tuition fees while having the opportunity to study abroad for a semester.
• Twinning degree programmes ('2+1' or '1+2'): Malaysian private HEIs collaborate with foreign universities, allowing students to register with both institutions and complete part of their course locally before transferring to the foreign university.
• Degree Transfer Programmes (US, UK, Australia): Students can enrol in transfer programmes at Malaysian HEIs, completing part of their degree in Malaysia before transferring to a partner university abroad.
• Study a foreign university's external degree programme: Foreign universities set the entry requirements, syllabus, and examinations, while Malaysian private colleges provide tutorial support. Students earn their degrees from the foreign university without physically attending the campus.

These options enable Malaysian students to obtain foreign degrees while saving on costs, enjoying greater flexibility, and experiencing life and education in multiple countries.

While there is no exact data on the number of Malaysians studying overseas, the Malaysian diaspora, which includes emigrants and their descendants, is estimated to be close to two million as of 2019. The largest communities are found in Singapore, Australia, Brunei, and the United Kingdom.

How many universities are there in Malaysia?

Malaysia has a diverse range of universities, with more than 20 public universities and institutes, and 47 private universities. The country also has 17 university colleges and 10 foreign university branch campuses.

Public universities in Malaysia are funded by the government and are self-managed institutions. The University of Malaya and the MARA University of Technology were established by separate Acts of Parliament, while other public universities were created by executive order as per the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971.

Private universities include locally established universities and campuses of foreign universities. Notable international campuses in Malaysia include those of Swinburne University, Curtin University, Monash University, the University of Nottingham, Heriot-Watt University, Newcastle University Medicine, the University of Southampton, the University of Reading, and Xiamen University Malaysia.

The Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) comprises four specialised technical universities: Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP).

Malaysia's universities are spread across the country, from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, offering a wide range of programmes to meet the educational needs of the nation.

How many students are enrolled in Malaysia's polytechnics?

Malaysia has witnessed a consistent growth in its university student population over the years, with numbers rising from 1,404,499 in 2010 to 2,217,979 in 2021. The most recent census data available, from 2021, indicates that there were over 2.2 million students enrolled in universities and university colleges in Malaysia. This figure encompasses enrolments in both public and private higher education institutions.

While precise data on the number of students enrolled in polytechnics in Malaysia is not readily available, we can gain insights into the overall higher education landscape, which includes polytechnics. Polytechnics in Malaysia are regulated by the Department of Polytechnic Education (DPE), a division of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). They fall under the purview of the Ministry of Education, along with community colleges.

Malaysia boasts an extensive network of polytechnic institutions, with a total of 33 polytechnic institutions, comprising 31 polytechnics and two advanced skills training centres. This diverse range of institutions contributes to the country's vibrant higher education sector.

Polytechnics in Malaysia have been proactive in expanding their academic offerings in recent years. For instance, Palapes Polytechnic College introduced a diploma in aquaculture in 2014. Additionally, polytechnics nationwide commenced offering accounting courses in 2019, further enhancing their appeal and accessibility to students seeking vocational and technical education.

Although specific enrolment figures for polytechnics are not available, we can infer that they constitute a significant portion of the overall student population in higher education. The expanding course offerings and the establishment of advanced skills training centres reflect a commitment to providing diverse educational opportunities for Malaysian students.

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