Higher Education: 4-Year Colleges and Universities

 

Malaysia

Overview        

 

Malaysian Students in Higher Education overseas  (top 3 countries)

                                          2001             2002             2003             2004             2005

United States *                  7,795            7,395            6,595            6,483            6,142

United Kingdom +             9,170            9,330          11,970          11,860          11,520

Australia #                       20,231          17,528          19,811          19,998          19,342

 

Malaysian Students in Graduate Studies overseas  (top 3 countries)

                                    2001             2002             2003             2004             2005

United States *            2,027            1,927            1,833            1,731            1,534

United Kingdom +         N/A            3,258            4,480            4,305            3,940

Australia #                     N/A            1,799            1,980            1,924            1,858

                   Source:    *Open Doors:  fiscal year Oct 1 to Sep 30

            +British Council:  fiscal year Sep 1 to Aug 31

            # AEI-Internl Education Network:  fiscal year Jan 1 to Dec 31

 

·           U.S. higher education has always been popular among Malaysian students, which is reflected by the over 150,000 Malaysian alumni of American universities and colleges. With 6,142 students studying in U.S. colleges and universities in 2005, Malaysia ranked 21st as a source of foreign students for the U.S.

 

·           The country's economic recovery from the 1997 crisis led to some renewed interest in U.S. education.  However, the subsequent added costs and procedures needed to obtain U.S. visas after 9/11 and the Iraq war caused many Malaysian students planning to study overseas to divert to Australia, the U.K., New Zealand and Canada. 

 

·           On a positive note, the vast improvement in the U.S. visa application process and the strengthening Australian dollar and British sterling are factors that are helping to revive interest in U.S. education.

 

·           More than 70% of Malaysian students studying in the U.S. presently are privately funded and majority of these are Chinese-Malaysians.  More than 75% are doing it on a “twinning” or “credit transfer” basis by studying their first and/or second year at a local private college and completing their degrees at a university abroad.  There are more than ten local private colleges that offer American Degree Programs and have relationships with U.S. colleges and universities.

 

·            Malaysia aspires to be a regional education centre and aims to increase the intake of foreign students from the present 40,000 to 100,000 by 2010.  The students are mainly from China, Indonesia, other ASEAN countries, South Asia and the Middle East. 

 

·           Foreign Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs offered locally through distance learning (combination of classroom and online delivery format) are popular among Malaysian working adults.  More than 20 MBA programs are provided locally in partnership with private colleges and corporate training companies, mainly from Australia and U.K.  There is presently no MBA program offered locally by a reputable American University. 

 

·           Under the 9th Malaysian Plan (5 year plan for 2006-2010), the government requires that at least 60% of the lecturers in public universities will hold doctorate qualification (PhD) by 2010.  Therefore, the government is now sponsoring 500 lecturers per year to do their postgraduate degrees (both Masters and PhD) overseas, mainly to the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and U.S.   At this point, just 10% of the lecturers choose to go to U.S.

 

 

Best Products/Services                                                               

 

·           More than 70% of Malaysian students studying in the U.S. are enrolled in undergraduate programs.  Popular majors are engineering and business administration followed by computer science, biotechnology and mass communication.

 

·            Malaysian students pursuing graduate programs in U.S. are expected to increase in the future.   Popular graduate degrees are Master of Business Administration and Master of Engineering programs.  

 

·           There exist a demand for distance learning MBA programs by reputable American universities to be offered locally either through partnership with local private colleges and universities or private corporations.

 

 

Opportunities                                                                           

 

·            Recruiting Malaysian students for study in U.S. for undergraduate and graduate programs.

 

·           Linking with Malaysian 2-year private colleges to attract junior & senior transfer students on a credit-transfer basis or on a “twinning” basis.

 

·            Partnering with local private colleges and universities or private corporations to offer distance learning graduate programs, especially MBA programs.

 

·           Linking with local private colleges to offer 4+0 programs.

 

Resources                                                                                   

 

For more information about this sector, please read the market research entitled Undergraduate Studies and Graduate Studies available in our market research database.  See Chapter 9: Market Research for instructions about accessing the report.

Commercial Service Webcast on education sector: www.buyusa.gov/malaysia

Linden Fair, Mar 2007:  www.lindentours.com

Star Education Fair, Jan 6-7, 2007: www.thestar.com.my/edufair

Facon Education Fair, Mar 17-18, 2007: www.faconex.com

Postgradasia Fair, June 8-9, 2007: www.postgradasia.com

Malaysian-American Commission of Education Exchange (MACEE): www.macee.org.my

Ministry of Education: www.emoe.gov.my

For more information contact Commercial Specialist LayHwa Teh.