NEW DELHI, Aug 25 (Bernama) — Malaysia is fast becoming a preferred destination for Pakistani students pursuing tertiary education abroad, said the Consul General of Malaysia in Karachi, Abu Bakar Mamat.
He said the two-day education expo over the weekend, participated by 16 higher education institutions from Malaysia, drew a sizeable number of visitors looking at the study options available in Malaysia.
“Starting from two universities in its first show (about six years ago), it’s encouraging to see 16 Malaysian universities taking part at the 12th Study Malaysia Expo here,” he told Bernama when contacted Monday.
Besides Karachi, the expo was also held in other parts of the country, namely Lahore and Rawalpindi, to recruit students from the northern part of Pakistan.
Among the participating higher education institutions were Universiti Malaya, International University of Malaysia, Mahsa University, Infrastructure University KL, Lim Kok Wing University, Manipal International University and Sunway University.
“Malaysia is becoming a preferred destination mainly due to the affordable cost to enrol in a world-class education system. Some of the participating universities are also offering scholarships for qualified students,” said Abu Bakar.
Meanwhile, Babar Bashir, managing director of the organiser, North Pole International, said over 3,000 Pakistanis were studying in Malaysia.
Besides affordable tuition fee, cost of living is another major factor behind the rise in demand for Malaysian education in Pakistan.
“Other factors include degrees awarded in collaboration with partner universities in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States as well as the diverse cultures and the hospitable Malaysian people,” he said.
He said the average yearly tuition fee in Malaysia was US$ 6000 compared to US$ 22,000 and US$ 14,000 in the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively, while a student’s average yearly cost of living in Malaysia was US$ 4,000 against US$ 13,000 to US$ 15,000 in the United States and United Kingdom on the average, and still students get the same British or Australian degree while studying in Malaysia.
Malaysia is fast becoming a higher education hub in Asia, with a high standard and quality educational experience being key to attracting many foreign students.
Unesco ranked Malaysia eighth globally as a preferred destination for international students.
— BERNAMA
