Page 158 - VC Message

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

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
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. Datuk Seri Zambry has
explicitly stated that public universities are
“not permitted to reduce local quotas to
accommodate foreign students for profit”.
The surge in foreign enrolments largely
150 comes from an expanding spectrum of
postgraduate programmes but not at the
expense of the subsidised places for local
undergraduates.
Recent debates on education placement that our top public universities face an This approach mirrors policies
justice and the way forward in the access admissions crunch. implemented elsewhere. The University
for quality higher education have engulfed In this context, every offer and rejection of California (UC), for instance, enacted
the strategic discussions on what is best are scrutinised, and the balance between a cap on foreign undergraduates and
pledged that foreign students would be
for recognition of talents and the right meritocracy, capacity, and opportunity
methodologies in ensuring that local becomes a delicate one, especially with admitted “only in addition to, and never in
human capital is consistently appreciated limited spaces and resources. place of”, local students.
and recognised, while advancing global This underscores a key principle:
recognition in parallel. internationalisation strategies and
It highlights a core dilemma for A delicate balance of internationalisation expansion should never come at the cost
Malaysian higher education: How do we Malaysia is hardly alone in grappling with of local opportunity. The challenge is
embrace global standards and the sheer the balance between inclusive global talent making that principle a perceived reality,
competition; attracting the best students and local educational rights. Universities backed by data and fair processes.
and talents from around the world, while worldwide aspire to global excellence, of
never turning our backs on outstanding which the indicators are often measured Top global universities navigate student
local students?
by international rankings and visibility mix
Our local talents have always been our which come from engaging top minds that
greatest assets, and this has been proven transcend borders. Every leading university in the world
today faces the dual mandate of nurturing
over the decades in the consistently high- At the same time, public universities have domestic talent and welcoming global
performing students who have excelled in always been mandated to serve their own talent, a reality that is undeniable.
their lifelong quests to shape their future people, indicating the priorities needed to
and the future of the nation. Different models of balancing
serve national purposes.
These feats portray that Malaysian youths In Universiti Malaya, we have not wavered internationalisation needs and local
are achieving at the highest level with their from this, in our national duty since our preservation reflect similar challenges and
solution-making processes. In NUS, as a
dedication and grit, far more than there inception, to serve and lead the nation in highly international campus, 36 per cent
are places in certain programmes in local producing human capital and leaders and
public universities. It is a testament to in advancing knowledge. of its student body are foreign nationals
concentrated mainly at the postgraduate
the talent we have locally, but also a sign
level and 65 per cent of its faculty are
internationals.