PUTRAJAYA, Aug 27 — The Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) has denied that international students make up 27 per cent of the enrolment at the country’s five Research Universities (RU), limiting opportunities for local students to pursue higher education.
MOHE director-general Prof Datuk Azlinda Azman clarified that the combined enrolment at Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia stands at 180,024 students, comprising 141,636 local 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 undergraduates.
“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 onTuesday
She said the presence of international students, especially 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, which is why the ministry does not impose quotas or percentage limits on international postgraduate student intakes.
“The Education Ministry (MOE) also wishes to emphasise that all international students are charged full tuition fees without any government subsidies. Admission into any programme is subject to strict screening and (applicants must) 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 Azlinda, 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, she 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.
“MOHE 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,” Azlinda said.
