PUTRAJAYA, Aug 26 — The Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) has denied claims that international students make up 27 per cent of the enrolment at the country’s five Research Universities (RU), thereby limiting opportunities for local students to pursue higher education.
Director-General of Higher Education Datuk Professor Dr Azlinda Azman clarified that the combined enrolment at Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) currently stands at 180,024 students, comprising 141,636 locals and 38,388 international students, the latter representing 21.3 per cent of the total.
She said that of the 21.3 per cent, 15.8 per cent are postgraduate students, while only 5.5 per cent are undergraduate students.
“In line with their status as RUs, the five universities prioritise the recruitment of international students at the postgraduate level. This has successfully attracted 28,383 international students, who now account for 46.7 per cent of total postgraduate student enrolments,” she said in a statement today.
She said the presence of international students, particularly at the postgraduate level in public universities, provides valuable benefits by introducing diverse cultural and academic perspectives, enriching discussions, and encouraging more innovative approaches to research and problem-solving.
Azlinda said the admission of international students also contributes to improving universities’ positions in global rankings.
For this reason, she explained, the ministry does not impose any quota or percentage limit on the intake of international students at the postgraduate level.
“The Ministry of Education also wishes to emphasise that all international students are charged full tuition fees without any government subsidies. Admission into any programme must go through a strict screening process and meet both the general and specific requirements set by the respective universities,” she said.
The fees collected from international students, she said, are channelled by public universities towards upgrading and enhancing campus facilities, which benefit all students, including locals.
According to her, the presence of international students not only adds significant value to the campus community but also creates a dynamic learning environment that reflects current global needs.
This, she said, helps broaden the perspectives of local students without requiring them to study abroad.
Therefore, Azlinda said the internationalisation policy provides valuable opportunities for local students to engage in cross-cultural interactions, develop communication skills, and gain global exposure-preparing them to compete more effectively on the international stage.
“The Ministry of Higher Education remains committed to ensuring ample opportunities for local students, and there is no discrimination against citizens in admission to Public Universities.
“In this regard, the ministry continues to closely monitor the recruitment of international students at all local universities to safeguard the priority of local students in the country’s higher education sector,” she said. — Bernama
