Page 23 - AEI Insights 2019 - Vol. 5, Issue 1

Munusamy and Hashim, 2019

(Dobos, 2011). In May 2013, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and MOHE were merged to
speed up transformation and to harmonise the education strategic plans between both
ministries. Two years later, MOHE was re-established in 2015 to fulfil the demand of human
th
resource development (Sack & Jalloun, 2017); however, it was abolished after the 14 General
Election in May 2018 in line with the new Malaysian agenda.
In Malaysia, there are 20 public universities, 36 polytechnics and 94 community colleges, 467
private higher education institutions and 10 international branch campuses (as of 30 April
2018) (MOHE, 2018; JPT, 2018). Malaysia is one of the countries in ASEAN hosting a number
of branch campuses from Australia and the United Kingdom. The higher education system in
Malaysia is generally well structured through the introduction of the National Higher Education
Strategic Plan 2007-2020 in 2007. The plan highlighted seven key strategic principles (MOHE,
2007). The aspiration to become an education hub was illustrated in the fifth thrust -
intensifying internationalisation. This thrust aims to achieve the target of 200,000 international
students and to position Malaysia as a top-six destination for international students by 2020
(Mohd Ismail & Doria, 2013). MOHE also introduced additional policy documents: National
Higher Education Strategic Plan 2 Beyond 2020: Intensifying Malaysia’s Global Reach: A
New Dimension and Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education 2011 to boost
internationalisation. The aim of Phase 2 of the strategic plan is to further enhance the
foundation, approach and action plan for the internationalisation agenda at regional and
international levels (Azman, Sirat, & Ahmad, 2014). Meanwhile, the Internationalisation
policy focuses on six core strategies: student mobility, staff mobility, academic programmes,
research and development, governance and autonomy including social integration and cultural
engagement (MOHE, 2011).
The MEB (HE) 2015-2025 was launched in 2015 as a continuation of the Malaysia Education
Blueprint 2013-2025 which was launched in 2013. MEB (HE) 2015-2025 covers all aspects
related to higher education management and development including internationalisation. The
substantial goal of the MEB (HE) 2015-2025 is to rank the Malaysian higher education system
amongst the top higher education systems in the world and to empower the Malaysian higher
education system to survive in the globalised world.

Definition of internationalisation of higher education
Internationalisation is not a new term in the field of education (Knight, 2003); it has appeared
since the early 1980s (Knight, 2008a). Higher education internationalisation includes
international activities, international linkages, partnerships, joint programmes and projects and
delivering education to other countries (de Wit, 2013) and branch campuses (Knight, 2008;
Pinna, 2009). Knight (2003) defined internationalisation at the national, sector, and
institutional levels as the “process of integrating an international, intercultural, or global
dimension into the purpose, functions or delivery of post-secondary education” (p. 3). Knight
(2008) introduced five types of approaches: programme, rationales, ad hoc, policy and strategy
which are vital to developing policies and strategies for the international dimension of tertiary
education.
The national policies for internationalisation are based on various rationale. The rationale
approach is vital for a national level higher education to become more international in the
higher education sector (Gunsyma, 2014). There are multiple rationale encouraging various
national governments, higher education institutions, international organisations and the private
sector to proactively engage in educational services across national borders for
internationalisation of higher education. Rationale also refers to motivations for integrating an

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