Internationalization Policy for Malaysian Higher Education

In "Is Malaysia the regional leader in international higher education?" (Guardian Professional, 2 July 2012), Patrick Blessinger and Enakshi Sengupta discuss the benefits and challenges of the number of students studying abroad (Patrick Blessinger is Executive Director & Editor, International HETL Association). The authors describe how about a decade ago how the 20% of Malaysian students abroad were causing 12% of the nation's current account deficit. The solution was in-country campuses of foreign institutions and allowing local private partners of overseas universities to award degrees. The authors note how the UK's colonial legacy still exerts an influence in the region. But Malaysia's relative success is drawing criticism from other countries in the region and there are still cultural tensions in higher education in the country.

This is only a brief article and the authors did not have time to touch on the issues of higher degrees and research (particularly PHDs) and the effect online education will have on private providers, universities and government policy.

For those who wish to delve further, the full text of the "Internationalization Policy for Higher Education Malaysian 2011" is provided online by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia as a 105 page PDF document. For those who do not want to download the 3.2 Mbytes of the full report, here is the table of contents and executive summary:

Table of Contents

About the book
Contributors
Content
Acronyms

Executive summary


CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

Introduction
The global view on current HEI development

• Globalisation vs internationalisation
• Internationalisation of HE globally: current trends

Internationalisation in Malaysia context

• Rationale of internationalisation: Government
• perspective
• Rationale of internationalisation: Institutional
• perspective
• Setting the direction: National Higher Education
• Strategic Plan

The Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia
References

CHAPTER 2 WORKING DEFINITION

References

CHAPTER 3 STUDENT MOBILITY
Introduction
Enabling international student mobility
Recommendations
Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia: Policy for Student Mobility
References

CHAPTER 4 STAFF MOBILITY

Introduction
Promoting International Staff Mobility In Malaysia:
Recommendations
Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in
Malaysia: Policy for Staff Mobility
References

CHAPTER 5 ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES

Introduction
Model towards Academic Exchange: European Higher Education Area
Internationalisation and Malaysia’s Academic Programmes
Recommendations
Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia: Policy for Academic Programmes
References

CHAPTER 6 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Introduction
R&D In Malaysia: Current Status
Internationalisation and Its Role in Intensifying R&D
Initiatives
Recommendations
Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia: Policy for Research and Development
References

CHAPTER 7 GOVERNANCE AND AUTONOMY

Introduction
Institutional Approach towards Internationalisation
Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia: Policy for Governance and Autonomy
References

CHAPTER 8 INTEGRATION AND COMMUNITY SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Introduction
Challenges of Social Integration and Community Engagement

• Malaysians
• International students

Review
Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia: Policy for Social Integration and Community
Engagement
References

CHAPTER 9 CONCLUSION

...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia is an operational policy, which aims at accelerating the inflow of international students to 150,000 by 2015 and 200,000 by 2020.

This policy is formulated by looking at six core aspects of internatiosalization i.e. student mobility, staff mobility, academic programmes, research and development, governance and autonomy as well as social integration and cultural engagement, based on collaborative participation from both public and private higher education institutions, as well as various government agencies which contributed to internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia.

Measures proposed in this policy will increase Malaysian higher education institutions’ quality and capacity in admission, provisions of education as well as retention of international students upon completion of their studies. By clearly defining the direction, action steps to be taken, key responsible as well as measurable for each action step, it is hoped that all parties involved would take a proactive role in ensuring positive projection of internationalisation activities in the country in order to position Malaysian higher education as a strategic export service for the country.

The objectives of the policy are as follows:

1. Identifying the critical components of internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia that require immediate action
2. Enabling current practices of internationalisation to be improvised and improved, based on the best interest of all involved
3. Aligning and ensuring the current momentum in internationalisation activities is heading towards national aims

The expected outcomes of the policy are as follows:

1. Increased growth of international students and staff in the country
2. Increased inbound and outbound international mobility among students and staff in country
3. Increased positive experience of international students in country

...

From: Internationalization Policy for Higher Education Malaysian 2011, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, 2011