Page 150 - VC Message

Leading with Purpose
Messages of the Vice Chancellor OP ED & RENCANA MEDIA

same time, public universities have always
been mandated to serve their own people,
indicating the priorities needed to serve
national purposes.
In Universiti Malaya (UM), we have not
wavered from this, in our national duty
since our inception, to serve and lead the
nation in producing human capital and
leaders and in advancing knowledge. This
is also being outlined and reaffirmed by
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr
Zambry Abdul Kadir, stating that: “Public
universities exist, first and foremost, to
serve the children of Malaysia,” adding
that there will be no compromise on the
quotas allocated for local students even
as internationalisation is pursued.
The government’s policy has always
been that international enrolment does
not affect the intake of local students.
In other words, any foreign student
admitted should be in addition to and in
a complementary manner, from the local
142 cohort, not taking a seat from a deserving
local Malaysian.
Admissions via the central Unit Pusat
Universiti (UPU) system are essentially
for Malaysians and international students
generally enter through separate
international channels or through
collaborations that are not counted
against UPU spots. Dr Zambry said public
universities are “not permitted to reduce
Our local talents have always been our These feats portray that Malaysian youths local quotas to accommodate foreign
greatest assets are achieving at the highest level with their students for profit”.
dedication and grit, far more than there
RECENT debates on education placement are places in certain programmes in local The surge in foreign enrolments largely
justice and the way forward in the access public universities. It is a testament to comes from an expanding spectrum of
for quality higher education have engulfed postgraduate programmes but not at the
the strategic discussions on what is best the talent we have locally, but also a sign expense of the subsidised places for local
that our top public universities face an
for recognition of talents and the right undergraduates.
methodologies in ensuring that local admissions crunch. In this context, every
offer and rejection is scrutinised, and the
human capital is consistently appreciated balance between meritocracy, capacity This approach mirrors policies
and recognised, while advancing global implemented elsewhere. The University
recognition in parallel. and opportunity becomes a delicate of California (UC), for instance, enacted
one, especially with limited spaces and a cap on foreign undergraduates and
It highlights a core dilemma for resources. pledged that foreign students would be
Malaysian higher education: How do we admitted “only in addition to, and never in
embrace global standards and the sheer place of,” local students.
competition; attracting the best students A Delicate Balance of
and talents from around the world, while Internationalisation This underscores a key principle:
never turning our backs on outstanding Malaysia is hardly alone in grappling Internationalisation strategies and
local students? with the balance between inclusive expansion should never come at the cost
Our local talents have always been our global talent and local educational rights. of local opportunity. The challenge is
making that principle a perceived reality,
greatest assets, and this has been proven Universities worldwide aspire to global backed by data and fair processes.
over the decades in the consistently high excellence, of which the indicators are
performing students who have excelled in often measured by international rankings
their lifelong quests to shape their future and visibility which come from engaging
and the future of the nation. top minds that transcend borders. At the