HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTRY TARGETS 80,000 FOREIGN STUDENTS TO IPTS

KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 (Bernama) -- The Higher Education Ministry is targetting 80,000 foreign students to register at private institutions of higher learning (IPTS) in the country this year.

The ministry's deputy secretary-general, Dr Ramli Hassan, said the target
could be achieved considering that foreign students were more keen to pursue
studies in Malaysia, than in other countries, due to the cost factor and quality
of education in the country.

"IPTS in Malaysia offer courses at reasonable cost, as well as high quality
of education, besides affordable cost of living," he told reporters after
opening an education exhibition by the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges
and Universities-Malaysian Qualification Agency (MAPCU-MQA) 2009 here Saturday.

Dr Ramli said the ministry would ensure that foreign students who met the
criteria to pursue their studies here would be allowed to enter the country to
avoid social problems involving foreign students.

He also said that most foreign students pursuing studies in Malaysia were
sponsored by their respective governments.

This way, it reduced the chances of the students to over-stay in the
country, he added.

Dr Ramli said that last year, more than 71,000 foreign students enrolled at
more than 66 IPTS in the country, from only 48,000 in 2007.

At the function, Dr Ramli received RM5.5 million (US$1.54 million) in the
form of scholarships from 22 IPTS to be distributed to more than 200 local and
foreign students who are eligible to pursue studies in various fields at the
IPTS.
-- BERNAMA