ONLY THE BEST M'SIAN VARSITIES WILL DO, SAYS MEPC OFFICIAL

BY MUIN ABDUL MAJID

DUBAI, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- Students in the Middle East intending to pursue their studies in Malaysia can rest assured of getting high quality education in the Southeast Asian nation, said an official at the Malaysia Education Promotion Centre (MEPC) Dubai office.

MEPC regional director for Middle East and North Africa, Sushilil Azam
Shuib, said only the best Malaysian institutions of higher learning were being
allowed to tap the Middle East market.

"This is important in terms of maintaining quality and upholding our
reputation as it also involves ties between Malaysia and other countries," he
told Bernama.

Shushilil Azam reckoned that Malaysia was held in high esteem by many
countries in this region, such as Libya and Sudan.

"We don't want parents to send their children to study at dubious
institutions in Malaysia and return to their own countries a few years later,
only to find that their degrees are not recognised.

"This can tarnish the image of our country," he said.

Elaborating, Shushilil Azam said Malaysian education institutions should
fulfil certain criteria before being permitted to recruit foreign students.

"They include a conducive learning environment, good facilities, good
lecturers and reasonable costs," he said.

Malaysian institutions of higher learning were hosting 19,467 Middle
East students as of April 2009.

MEPC Dubai is targeting to have 25,000 students from the Middle East by the
end of this year.
-- BERNAMA