Scholars From China Flock To Malaysia

Affordability, academic freedom and cultural familiarity are factors behind growing numbers

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GEORGE TOWN, Penang - Attracted by affordability, academic freedom and cultural familiarity, lecturers and researchers from China are drawn to Malaysia to further their scholarly pursuits.

More than 2,300 of them are working on their PhD research at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang.

They now make up the majority of foreign nationalities in USM's student population, along with more than 3,700 others from China pursuing their master's and bachelor's degrees at the educational institution, a sign that pursuing tertiary studies in Malaysia has become a popular option.

While the PhD candidates expressed satisfaction at being able to work on their research topics in Malaysia, they lamented how their tertiary degrees are "valued less" than those from Singapore or Hong Kong.

Ms Lola He Ying Lei, 40, said: "In some parts of China, a PhD from Malaysia is seen as less prestigious than one from a mid-tier Chinese university.

"Some Chinese universities even reject the PhDs from South-east Asian universities of those applying for teaching jobs."

She added: "Some in China view Singapore's qualification as higher than other countries in the region. They think Malaysia is an underdeveloped country."

However, Ms He noted that this misconception tends to fade rapidly for those who visit Malaysia.

She is researching constructive journalism comparisons between China and Malaysia in news related to higher educational institutions and noted that academic freedom in Malaysia is considerably greater.

"In sensitive disciplines like journalism, PhD candidates in China face strict ideological constraints and we must align our research with the supervisor's direction.