Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The presence of around 167,000 international students currently contributes approximately 20 billion MYR (5 billion USD) annually to Malaysia’s economy through tuition fees, living expenses and other related spending.
The figure was cited recently by Novie Tajuddin, Chief Executive Officer of Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), during a Malaysian culture exploration programme held from August 21 to 23 at Pantai Teluk Ketapang.
EMGS is an organisation under Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education responsible for promoting international education and supporting the management of international students in the country.
According to Novie, an EMGS study found that each international student spends an average of around 10,000 MYR per month while studying and living in Malaysia.
He noted that the role of international students extends beyond universities, benefiting local communities and service sectors in areas where students live and study.
Local communities around universities benefit from demand for housing, food, transportation and other services. The presence of international students is also helping boost business activity among local enterprises, particularly those in the food and service sectors, while generating positive economic and social impacts in areas hosting higher education institutions.
Novie said Malaysia is currently regarded as one of the world’s top 14 higher education destinations, reflecting the country’s growing position in the international education market.
Countries such as the UK, the US, Australia and Canada were traditionally the top choices for international students. However, Malaysia is now also among the destinations being considered by an increasing number of foreign students.
He said Malaysia is emerging as a competitor in the global education sector, with the number of international students studying in the country rising by about 23% over the past three years.
Malaysia aims to attract 500,000 international students by 2035, in line with the goals set out in its 10-year higher education blueprint, he said.
To achieve this target, it is implementing various overseas education promotion programmes. EMGS plans to reach out to around seven to eight regions worldwide to promote Malaysian higher education institutions and enhance the country’s ability to attract international students.
Novie said China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are currently the five countries with the largest numbers of students in Malaysia. International students attend both public and private higher education institutions, with the majority pursuing postgraduate programmes./.
