Education System

Malaysia has varied landscapes, cultural diversity and abundance of educational and business opportunities. International students are permitted to work while studying. The immigration procedures are simple for the qualifiers.

The Malaysian government is mainly focusing and concerned about the vocational and private education which may not prepare graduates with appropriate moral and ethical values needed for a multicultural and multiethnic Malaysia.

The basis for higher education in Malaysia has the critical aspects of Staff mobility, student mobility, Research and development, Academic programs, Community Development, and Social integration in mind. It provides positive experiences, social facilities, flexible and innovative programs. The education standard is comparable to the developed western academies. The multi-cultural environment makes the transition smooth and easy. The education system encourages students to think critically and work solo or in teams.

There is Education Malaysia Global Services, EMGS, with the objective of promoting Malaysia as an ideal global destination possessing international standards. It is a nodal agency in assisting the Ministry of Higher Education, coordinating in educational research and development, Collecting and publishing student data, providing marketing awareness of education services, issuing, processing and tracking student visas, student interaction, and supporting meaningful decision-making.

EMGS is the official gateway to study in Malaysia.

In Malaysia, three types of institutes offering higher education. There are public Universities, private Universities and University colleges. The Malaysian government ensures the quality of its institutes through accreditation with the National Accreditation Board. As a result, universities and university colleges in Malaysia have world class academic standards with qualified lecturers and professors who use innovative teaching methods in the classrooms. Ample research grants given by the government ensure that Malaysian universities maintain their academic excellence and high rankings. Teacher and student ratio is very high and this is another reason to study in Malaysia.

Many foreign universities intend to open branch campuses in Malaysia or expand their operations in a big way. The Ministry of Higher Education has over a dozen applications from foreign universities to open branch campuses. The competitive landscape is sharpening.

Figures on higher education in Malaysia indicate that there are around 1.1 million students in Malaysia. Of these 1.1 million, there are 80.000 foreign students, majorly representing China, Iran, Indonesia, Nigeria and Yemen. These students are served by 21 public, 23 private universities, 5 International branch campuses and 21 private university-colleges. Many foreign institutions are active in Malaysia through twinning programs with the university colleges.

Malaysia aspires to become a higher education hub. It has invested heavily in marketing higher education and has more foreign students who keep coming every year. It has the ambitious objective to enroll 200.000 foreign students by 2020. There is a natural growth of student population as the economy ascends. Employers need qualified and skilled staff and a bachelor’s degree assures job.

For Malaysia quality and quantity both are important. It carefully monitors the quality of the existing public and private players and aims to raise standards. Public institutions aim for international accreditations like EQUIS and AACSB. A thrust for quality will convince local as well as foreign students to make it a center of learning. More competition from foreign institutions can ensure better quality and standard offers to international students. Today it has embarked on a program to turn Malaysia into a knowledge based economy. It partners with foreign higher educational institutions and ushers quality to all students.

Foreign universities offer innovative training programs, diplomas, certificates and qualifications. Their fundamental ethos and the administration is based on traditions and values.

The education policy understands and caters the demands of changes in the market. There is a huge clamor for transformation, and for highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Rise in foreign student's enrollment has made the country a strong contender internationally. There is a vocational focus which prepares graduates with moral and ethical values needed for a bright future who are sensitive to the unique socio-cultural situation. The internationalization policy for higher education in Malaysia will be strongly based on beliefs, values and racial and religious harmony. Foreign students are attracted by positive academic experience, social facilities, flexible and innovative programs. It must be a win-win situation that is based on respect of both. Students must gain proficiency in English, which is an international language of learning, diplomacy and trade is mandatory and desirable.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) comprises the following departments / sectors:

• The Development Sector
• The Management Sector
• The Department of Community College Education
• The Department of Polytechnics Education
• The Department of Higher Education

National Philosophy of Education

The national philosophy of education states that "Education in Malaysia is an ongoing effort towards developing the potential of individuals further in an integrated and holistic manner so as to produce individuals who are physically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually harmonious and balanced, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God". It is designed to produce International citizens who are competent and knowledgeable, possess high moral standards, and are accountable and able to achieve a high level of personal well-being as well as to contribute to the betterment of the family, society and nation at large.

The national education system comprises the following levels of education:

Post-secondary Education / Pre-university from age 18 (for one to two years)

• Either Form(for one and a half years)
• Matriculation certificate (for one year)

Higher Education

• Certificate and diploma education at polytechnics or colleges from age 18 onwards
• Education at Teacher Training Institutes from age 18 onwards
• Bachelor's degree from age 19 or 20 (for three to five years)
• Postgraduate studies [master's degree or PhD studies, after acquiring a bachelor's degree] (for one to five years)

At Higher Education Level

(The governing authority for higher educational institutions is the Ministry of Higher Education)

Two categories of institutions

• Government-funded public universities, polytechnics and colleges
• Private higher educational institutions (i.e. institutions not funded by the government), which include :
  • non-university status institutions such as private colleges
  • university status institutions such as private universities and university colleges
  • Foreign university branch campuses e.g. Monash University Malaysia and The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (English is the medium of instruction at most private higher educational institutions.)

Government-linked companies

The private sector or non-government organizations provide funding in the form of scholarships. Private Higher Educational Institutions and various organizations offer Fee waiver schemes and many loan schemes.

Medium of Instruction

At Higher Education Level

English is used as the primary medium of instruction at most private higher educational institutions. However, most bachelor degree courses offered at public universities are taught in the national language, that is, Bahasa Melayu, while postgraduate studies are usually conducted in English.

Academic Qualifications at Higher Education Level

All educational institutions in Malaysia awards the qualifications registered under laws related to Malaysian education. These laws are governed by the Malaysian Qualification Framework (MQF). The Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007 provides for the establishment of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) whose main role is to implement the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF).

As per the framework, a programme needs to achieve the following minimum credits before an academic qualification can be awarded, e.g. Master degree (40 credits), bachelor degree (120 credits), diploma (90 credits), and certificate (60 credits). Doctorates and Master degrees obtained by research do not have credit values.

The various levels of higher education qualifications based on MQF can be defined as follows: