LETTERS: Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) recorded an increased number of PhD apllications from international students despite the pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO) in the past 24 months.
This was reported by Bernama on Feb 11.
EMGS said Malaysia had almost doubled the number of PhD applicants from 6,348 to 11,661 in 2021.
This figure excluded PhD applications from Sabah and Sarawak as all applications are made to Immigration Department offices.
EMGS said the likely reason for this significant increase was Malaysia's offer of a wide range of courses.
But all is not as it seems. Malaysia's offer of a wide range of programmes is nothing unique.
If we survey higher education- providing countries, Malaysia would certainly offer fewer options than the United Kingdom, Australia or the United States.
So why did we have an increase in the number of PhD applications despite the pandemic and MCO?
A simple reason could be that as masters' level graduates could not return home and employment opportunities fizzled out overnight, these graduates might have opted for the next best option, that is, to continue to remain in Malaysia and apply for a PhD.
After all, in the first year of the pandemic, Malaysia had one of the best track records in managing Covid-19.
However, there are other reasons supported by recent research, such as competitive pricing, conducive study environment, multicultural and pluralistic society, health and safety concerns, and Malaysia's accessibility via a global travel network.
In addition, some institutions have reduced the required English competency level for PhD or even made language an exit instead of an entry requirement, which may attract international students.
Another reason could be returning students who studied in Malaysia either at the bachelor or masters' level.
Research showed that returning students formed a significant part of postgraduate enrolment globally.
Whatever the reason for the increase, this news of increased number of applications augurs well for Malaysia.
The sector can benefit from good news after the challenging two years and the challenges ahead.
However, it is important to remember that the Bernama article quoted EMGS' application figures, and for various reasons, not all of them will be converted into PhD enrolment.
Thus, EMGS and the Higher Education Ministry cannot rest on their laurels.
These agencies must continue to engage stakeholders to ensure that Malaysia remains attractive to international students, and not just at PhD level.
This requires removing cumbersome practices and ensuring transparency in implementing the policies.
Dr Rozilini M. Fernandez-Chung
Associate professor at the School of Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia;
Life member of PenDaPaT, a society for policy researchers in Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times