Study abroad in Malaysia
Malaysia is a southeast Asian country that is simultaneously modern,
traditional, developed and historic with a peaceful multicultural
population. Indigenous Malay and traditional tribes such as the Iban and
Bidayuh live harmoniously alongside a large Chinese and Indian populace and
this seamless blending of cultures lends Malaysia an international flavour
that few countries can boast.
It
is also fast becoming a very popular place for international students.
According to the recent QS Graduate Applicant Survey, sent to thousands of
students attending the QS World Grad School Tour in 2007, Malaysia is the
fourth most popular Asian destination for international students after
Japan, Hong Kong and India.
With an equatorial climate and inviting culture, Malaysia is a welcoming
country in which to visit and study. Crime is low and transport links are
excellent with major towns and cities connected by air and, failing that, by
inexpensive bus. Opportunities for a vivid cultural experience are very high
while politically and economically the country is considered to be stable.
Peninsular (West) Malaysia is a federation of states stretching south of
Thailand and north of Singapore. This is where you’ll find the capital,
Kuala Lumpur – known simply as KL – and the major cities of Penang, Johor
Bharu and Melaka. East Malaysia, the northern part of the island of Borneo,
consists of Sarawak and Sabah and is host to some of the world’s most famous
jungle, the orang-utan, and to Kuching (meaning ‘cat’ in Malay), one of
Asia’s most liveable cities.
Education
overview
An
important result of Malaysia’s carefully managed modernization is a steadily
improving education system that has poured millions into research and
development, and to encouraging international students into the country. In
the 2006 World University Ranking, the University Kebangsaan Malaysia
(Malaysia National University) featured strongly in the ranking of the
world’s top 200 universities. The quality of teaching in institutions like
UUM, UKM and UPM has improved greatly over recent years, following a
government decree that all teachers and lecturers have to possess a degree
in the subject that they are teaching, which was not the case before the
turn of the century.
On
the back of its enduring economic and industrial boom, Malaysia is trying
hard to position itself as the Asian destination of choice for international
students seeking to study abroad, and with some success. Currently there are
around 50,000 students from 100 countries in Malaysian tertiary education -
and the country wants to promote a multicultural image that reflects the
country itself.
The governing authority of higher educational institutions is the Ministry
of Higher Education and they govern:
-
Public
Universities
are fully funded government universities.
-
Polytechnics
train school leavers to be skilled technical assistants and technicians in
various engineering fields, or junior & middle level executives.
-
Community Colleges:
institutions for SPM or SPM(V) school leavers to train, 'reskill' or
'up-skill' themselves.
-
Teacher Training Colleges
are responsible for producing teachers under the management of Teacher
Education Division in the Ministry of Education.
-
Technical & Vocational Education
is an alternative to academic qualifications. It emphasizes hands-on
training and new skills.
Private Universities are privately owned universities, established by
financially sound corporations. They can confer the award of Bachelor
degrees & other higher qualifications.
-
Foreign University Branch Campuses
are universities from foreign countries, which provide the option for
students in Malaysia to obtain foreign tertiary qualifications locally
instead of going abroad.
-
Private Colleges
are colleges run by the private sector to provide tertiary education to
school leavers.
It
has also seen support from a number of international universities, such as
Australia’s Monash University and the University of Nottingham in the UK.
These have branch campuses offering exactly the same courses as their home
country institutions but, of course, at a fraction of the cost. For
example, the tuition fee of a 3-year UK engineering degree is priced at
about US$7,600 per year in the Malaysian branch compared to US$24,000 per
year in the UK main campus. Cost of living is around US$3,000 - $4,000 per
year, much cheaper than the US or Europe.
Such courses offer students the chance to study at the overseas campus for
one or two semesters and allow students to graduate from two universities at
the same time – the Malaysian one and the overseas host institution. Two
degrees for the price of one anybody? There is also a prevalence of courses
known as ‘Two-plus-one’ twinning degrees where you enroll in the Malaysian
course and spend a year overseas at a twinned institution, perhaps in
Australia, New Zealand or the UK. Great for your learning and cultural
understanding of two different parts of the world.
|
|
|
 Very
inexpensive tuition fees and cost of living
Well
resourced private and public universities
Vibrant
and interesting cultural experience
Safe
living environment and good transportation
English
language-based courses |
 Culture
shock can be a problem for some students
Low
acceptance rate of international students from some races
Complex
visa situation for some nationalities
Inability
to work regularly, if at all, on a student visa |
Student hostel accommodation does exist, as well as private renting,
although this is not as plentiful as in many other countries.
USM (University Sains Malaysia) says: “Each hostel has a student canteen
that offers a wide variety of meals at reasonable prices. The room rate for
the hostel ranges from RM66 to RM115 a month while the family unit is about
RM210 for a single room unit and RM280 for a double room unit. The room
rates are not inclusive of bedding and cleaning. A breakage deposit is
required for family units and student's activities fee of RM10 per semester
is also charged. Bedding is not provided at the hostel.
Postgraduate students may be accommodated in private residences. It should
be pointed out that the rates can vary appreciably depending upon the type
of lodging, proximity to campus and the other relevant factors. Generally,
information on private residences for rent are available through the Student
Affairs Department and the local newspapers. The rent for a 3-room
unfurnished apartment is about RM700.”
Two words describe Malaysia’s climate: hot and wet, averaging 32 degrees
Centigrade and 267cm of rain per year, and often both at the same time.
Being close to the equator and with a lot of jungle interior, Malaysia
rarely gets cold, though you may need a jacket around Chinese New Year in
February. It is a very humid climate that can be sunny for much of the day
followed by short bursts of extremely intense rain. There are monsoon
patterns from December until February but, frankly, you won’t notice a great
deal of difference. The afternoon rains keep the temperatures down. Buy a
raincoat and at least three umbrellas. And some sunscreen. When it is very
humid, it can be unpleasant. Drink a lot of water all the time.
Light clothing will be best suited for Malaysia's climate. However, it is
important to remember that Malaysia is a Muslim country and you must respect
the national code of dress. Dress conservatively. Bermuda shorts and flip
flops would be seen as crass at best and will not endear you to local
people.
Air Malaysia provides flights between almost all major towns and cities and
it is worth noting that if you book an international flight into Kuala
Lumpur you can get a return flight to another destination for free.
Otherwise the road systems in the country are generally pretty good, better
than in neighboring Thailand and Indonesia. The buses are efficient and not
too bumpy and are a great way to get around because, though slow, they are a
very cheap way to see rural Malaysia in all its beauty.
In the cities transport is generally excellent. KL has a modern and
efficient train system to rival any in the world. Smaller towns provide an
enormous number of taxis that will take you any distance for a small amount
of money.
| |
Item |
Price |
| |
small bottle
of water |
Malaysian
Ringgit 0.95 |
| |
litre of
petrol Malaysian |
Malaysian
Ringgit 1.90 |
| |
small bottle
of beer |
Malaysian
Ringgit 11.00 |
| |
internet
access |
Malaysian
Ringgit 4.00 |
| |
cheap
restaurant meal |
Malaysian
Ringgit 11.00 |
| |
short taxi
ride |
Malaysian
Ringgit 15.00 |
|
