PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN

MALAYSIA
 INTRODUCTION
 Malaysia has established twenty public
institutions of higher learning.

 It focus on the following themes:

The development of public universities.
Efforts to internationalize.

Plan of action, strategies and measures.

UM
 Data for the paper are based on both
secondary and primary sources.
 Relies on data collected through focus group
discussions with faculty members and
interviews with the relevant officials engaged
EMERGENCE AND EXPANSION OF PUBLIC
HIGHER EDUCATION
 Development and expansion of higher education
in Malaysia began only after Independence.
 During British colonial administration local tertiary
education was limited to colleges such as:
-Raffles College in Singapore
-Serdang College of Agriculture
-Technical College
 Malaysian were more dependent on foreign
colleges and universities in Britain and
Commonwealth Countries.
 After Independence :

-access to formal education was democratized.

-lead to a demand for local institutions of higher
learning(universities).
 At that time they need to create the institutions
for higher education because :
-To embarked on national development.
-Need for educated and skill manpower.
-Essential for political reasons.
-To acquire and pursue knowledge.
 University Malaya (UM)
 was the first university to be established in
Malaysia.
 Established in 1962 in Kuala Lumpur.
 Traces its origin to two colonial colleges in
Singapore, namely King Edward VII College Of
Medicine (1902) and Raffles Colleges (1929).
 These two institutions were merged in October
1949 to form UM which was located in Singapore.
 1955, they established a branch in Kuala Lumpur
and this institution was later developed into UM.
 -Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM 1969)
 -Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM 1970)

 -Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM 1971)

 -Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM 1972)

 -Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA 1983)

 -Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM 1984)

 -Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS 1993)

 -Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS 1994)

 Some of these institutions are new entities,
some are like UM.
 For example UPM previously known as Universiti
Pertanian Malaysia and UTM previously known
as Maktab Teknik Kuala Lumpur.
 The public universities in Malaysia are now
divided into three categories, Research
Universities, Focus universities and
Comprehensive Universities.
 The two public universities that were
established in 1960 were driven in internal
socio-economic and political imperatives.
 The university’s structure governance and
curricula had to be borrowed from Britain ,the
United States as well as counties in
Commonwealth.
 UM in Kuala Lumpur was dominated by
international staff such as :
 -three deans from Europeans

 -heads of the Malay Studies Department,

Professor Roolvink was a dutch.
 -heads of Islamic Studies Department,

 Professor Rauf from Egypt.

 -heads of Indians Studies Department,

Professor Thani Nayagam from India.
 The curricula was based on foreign universities and
all the language of instructions except for the
Malays Studies was English.
 Other foreign language were also promoted such as
:
 -French
 -Arabic
 -Italian
 -Chinese
 -Tamil
 In the beginning of 1970, international
elements that were embedded in the public
universities started to be eroded.
 Because of this issues, the use of Malay as a
medium instruction at the institutions of higher
learning was seen as one way of achieving this
objective.
 The advantages from the Malay as a medium
instructions are:
 -The number of students in the national schools
increase
 -Pressing need for the use Malay at the
university level.
Repaving The Way For Internationalization
 The demand for tertiary education has become
a heavy financial burden to the government.
 About 15.4% of the total public development
allocation was for education.
 The government needs to reduce the growing of
public expenditure on education and find new
source of funding for this sector.
 Higher education system was reformed and two
important measures were taken:
 -public universities corporatized in 1995 to give
autonomy to public institutions of higher
learning in order to provide them with greater
flexibility in their own revenue sources.
 -Private Higher Educational Institutions Act was
introduced in 1996 to regulate the increasing
number of private universities and colleges.
 Afterthat, the number of private universities
and colleges started to increase.
 As the number of graduates from private higher
education increased, there were complaints
from some Malaysian educationists that the
higher education system had become divisive.
 These were because of:
 This gave the Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir
Mohamad a good reason to push for the
reintroduction of English for the public universities.
 Also in schools English was being used as the
medium instructions for English, Mathematics and
Sciences subject.
 The use of English would enable academic staff
and students in local universities to interact more
effectively with their counterparts from other
universities worldwide.
INTERNATIONALIZATION IN PUBLIC
UNIVERSITIES
 Many strategies carried out by various Public
Universities in attempt to “integrate diverse
international dimensions into university activities”.
 This is due to the guidance provided by directives
from (MOHE).
 The main purpose is to make Malaysian an
excellent hub at global level.
 In order for all this to happen, Malaysian Tertiary
education must be recognised internationally.
 It also emphasizes the importance of
networking between Malaysia institutions and
those abroad for collaboration in research,
teaching and related activities.
 UNIVERSITY MALAYA
 Firstpublic university to response to the
decision of internationalization.
 In 1996, it established IRU ( International
Relations Unit ) which later became ICR (
International Corporate Relations ) whose
function is to facilatate and coordinate in
promoting UM in global community of higher
learning institutions.
 Elements of internationalization are to be
achieved through
i) students & staffs exchanges with abroad
universities
ii) collaboration in research & publications
iii) participation in an internationalization
conference
iv) securing more international academic staff
 Inorder to foster a bond with foreign
universities the MOA ( Memoranda of
Agreements) are linked.
 As of 2009, UM have active collaborations with
130 partners universities from 30 countries
worldwide.
 The main top partners are from Japan,
Indonesia, korea, United Kingdom, United
States and Australia.
 Also become a member among several key
international academic associations such as :
 i) ASEAN University Networks

 ii) Association of Commonwealth Universities

 iii) Association of Pacific Rim Universities

 iv) Association of Asian Institutions of Higher

Learning
 v) Federation of Universities of Islamic World
 vi) International Association of Universities

 vii) International Association of University

Presidents
 To internationalize their graduate & postgraduate
programmes
 i) allow dual degree conferment and joint
surpervision between universities for postgraduate
studies.
 ii) for undergraduate increasing international
students and started student mobility programme.
 iii) further formed an International Student Centre
and operates an International student house which
serves as a hostel.
 Some of the programmes to internationalise its
students and teaching are :
1. Postgraduate Joint PHD Programme
- advantage of “double badge degree”
- advantage of Malaysian fees despite studying
abroad
2. Dual Degree PHD Programme
- allow malaysian UM students to study in France
(2007)
- however in 2009, UM started a similar
programme with John Moore University, Liverpool.
- thus, students will be conferred to two degrees (
UM and other partner university)
 3. Undergraduate Student Mobility Programme
 4. Students Exchange Programme
 5. Home stay
 - to give international students unique
experience of living with Malaysian families.
 - as of 2009, UM had 27369 students including
3367 international students and 21% of
academic staff comprised foreign nationals.
UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA

 Use the Malay language as bahasa ilmu

(language of knowledge).
 Faces a big challenge which generally
requires the use of English as a medium
of instruction.
 Strategic Plan of UKM 2006-11.
 Among the six objectives identified in this plan,
two has direct relevance to internationalization.
 These objectives are reaffirmed in the
Transformation Programme of UKM as the APEX
University 2008.
 Form the basis for Pelan Tindakan which now
guides the internationalization activities at the
university.
A number of internationalization activities were
already in place.
 UM were already embedded in the core
activities of the university, namely teaching,
research and services.
 UKM accelerated its efforts under the directives
to internationalize by the Ministry of Education
in the mid-1990s.
 Establishment of a number of regional research
centres.
 Institute of Malaysian and International Studies
(IKMAS), Institute of Occidental Studies (IKON),
Institute of West Asian Studies (IKRAB).
 Made arrangements to facilitate the inflow of
renowned international scholars by establishing
Chairs for Visiting Professors.
 Pok Rafeah Chair at IKMAS.
 UKM establish linkages with foreign universities;
by signing MOUs, MOAs and LOIs with partner
universities worldwide.
 Between 1992 and 2009, UKM has signed 285
MOUs/MOAs/LOIs with several universities from
46 countries.
 The main global partner are universities in
Indonesia.
 With the establishment of IKRAB, ties with the
West Asian countries seem to be on the rise.
 UKM and foreign universities are for a specific
time period, between one to eight years.
 Only about 219 MOUs/MOAs/LOIs are still
active in 2009.
 Some are specific in terms of the objectives.
Double Degree Programme
 Involves the Faculty of Engineering and the
Faculty of Science and Technology.
 Collaborates with University of Duiseberg-Essen
(UDE)
 Run double degree programme for civil,
mechanical and electrical engineering at the
undergraduate level since 2003.
 Third-yearstudents form UKM with CGPA of 3.5
and above are given the opportunity to study for
another year in UDE.
 European Union Asian Link project has
produced over 50 dual degree graduates in
engineering; major are from UKM.
 Collaborates with Institute Technology Bandung
(ITB), Indonesia.
 Runs a double degree Master’s Programme in
geology.
 The two-year postgraduate course requires the
student to spend a year each at both
universities.
 They will be getting two sets of degrees; Master
of Science in Petroleum Geoscience (UKM) and
Master of Engineering in Applied Petroleum
Geoscience (ITB).
Land- UKM Master’s Programme
 Arrangements with the Centre for East and
Southeast Asian Studies, Lund University,
Sweden; conduct applied fieldwork courses for
the latter’s Master Programme (UKM n.d).
 In 2005 and 2006; Institute of the Malay World
and Civilisation or ATMA.
 Following year; IKON

 In 2009; by Institute of Ethic Studies (KITA)

 Students from Sweden spend five weeks at the
UKM campus in Bangi; eight hours of intensive
lectures, another eight hours of mentoring for
fieldwork.
 Conferred degrees by Lund University.
UKM- Global Student Mobility Partnership
 Four-week programme.
 It provides an opportunity for undergraduates
from abroad doing their second year in UKM
and vice versa.
 Sustainability of Tropical Heritage or Indigenous
Communities; 55 hours of intensive lectures
and discussions, 8 hours of fieldwork.
 Threelocations; Peninsula (Tasik Chini,
Cameron Highlands or Langkawi Geopark),
Sarawak Cultural Village, or Mount Kinabalu in
Sabah.
 Outward bound student mobility involves both
undergraduate as well as postgraduate
students from UKM.
Enrolment Of International Students
 One of the targets; to increase the number of
international students.
 In 2007/08, there was 2,843 international
postgraduate students and rose to 3,645 in
2008/09.
 2009/10, it seems to continue when
registration for the first semester had an intake
of 1,912 international postgraduates students
and 566 international u/graduates.
 Statisticin 2009/10 reported that international
students in UKM now form 21 per cent of the
total student population.
 Medium of instruction in UKM is Malay,
international students are allowed to write their
thesis and dissertation in English.
International Linkages For Academic Staff
 For academic staff involve research, staff
mobility and training.
 Encouraged to conduct collaborative research
with foreign universities.
 External agencies; World Bank, Asian
Development Bank, United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP)
 Research funding agencies; Friedrich Naumann
Stiftung, Konrad Adeneur, Nippon Foundation,
etc.
 Include organizing or participating in
international seminars, joint publications or
publications in reputable international journals
or other media.
 Involves visits by academic staff to foreign
universities and short attachments.
Other Linkages For Internationalization
 Joined international Academic Associations
- Asia-University Network

- Association of Universities in Asia Pacific

- ASAIHL

 Action Plan for Internationalization 2009-10

CONTRIBUTION TO INTERNALIZATION
 Annual enrolment of international
students rose from 5,045 to 24,214 from
2002 – 2010.
 In 2005 the total enrolment of local in
public university was around 390,388
while international students was 6,622.
 In 2010, international students have rose
to 5% of total enrolment in public
university.
International Students Enrolment
 International students enrolment concentrated
in UIA , UM, USM, UKM, UPM, UTM, UUM.
 UIA which is an international university , has the
most number of international students.
 From 2002-2003, UPM lead the way.

 In 2005, UM took the first place, followed by

USM in 2006.
 In 2007-2010, UM once again take the lead.
Source Countries
•Every year Malaysia have enrolled numerous
international students from many country
•In 2002,top ten sourced country accounted for
45% of all students.
•While in 2010, the total were more than 74%
•Most of these are develop countries
•In the Middle East, East Asia and the Pacific.
East and West Asia, Central and Eastern Europe
and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Reason To Further Studies In Malaysia
•It could be because of the low cost living in MY
and low fees at the public university .
•The large number of students from the Middle
East could be due to to 11 September 2002
bombing in New York .
•These students could feel unsafe and
uncomfortable to study in those regions.
•In 2010, Iran students constituted the largest
share of international students.
Data Of The International Students
 In 2010, figure 3.1 shows that about 65% of
international students are taking the post graduate
programme.
 Only 30% of them were taking undergraduate
studies due to the small quota of undergraduate
level.
 There is an increase in number for International
academic staff.
 In 2007, about 1,027 international academic
staff in public university and rise to 1,681 in
2010
 UIAM used to lead in the largest share of
international academic staff by the honour of
their status.
 In 2010, UM scored the largest share of
international staff, UKM scored the lowest due
to its language requirement.
CONCLUSION
 Theinternationalization of public universities in
Malaysia has been revived and restructed to
accommodate changing circumstances and
challenges.
 Before mid 1990 – emergence and function
was politically driven
 Design; to fulfill national aspiration

 Education : basic social need

 The cost of establishing and running a

university was fully taken by the government.
 Element of internationalization were already
embedded since the colonial past.
 However, internationalization involves the
outflow of Malaysians to foreign universities.
 By mid 1990 – function and management of
the universities were more economically driven
 Internationalization; reverse flow by wooing
foreigners to come to Malaysia as teachers,
students and more.
 Objective: to encourage “internationalization at
home”
 The public universities gear their programmes to
meet the requirements of international and
local students and global job market.
 Expected to contribute to the gross domestic
product(GPD) of the country and reduce public
expenditure on education.
 In dilemma on how to balance between the
economic interest of the nation and its political
and other interest.