[Malaysia] International students slowly returning post-pandemic

New and existing students have only been allowed to come to Malaysia since January this year, said Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (Mapcu) president Datuk Dr Parmjit Singh.

“The spurt of arrivals was in the first two months. Subsequent arrivals were affected by the the rise in Covid-19 infections and the movement control orders imposed from March onwards,” he said, adding that their return was also hampered by issues related to the borders being closed in some countries, the availability and cost of flights, issues surrounding the cost of quarantine after arrival, and parents’ lingering concerns regarding the safety of their children.

“Nevertheless, the number of arrivals has seen an increase since the reopening of campuses in October, as well as the reduced infection rates. We expect the rate of arrivals to rise in the coming months,” he added.

National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN) senior research fellow Prof Datuk Dr Morshidi Sirat said the average expenditure of an international student in Malaysia is about RM46,000 per annum, and this increases to RM88,000 per annum if the student brings his family along.

He said Malaysia made an average of RM7.2bil per year from revenue sources like tuition fees, living expenses and other services during a student’s course of study here.

So, we will lose a substantial contribution to the national economy if they continue to stay away, he said during the “2020s: Transnational Education and the Option for Malaysia” webinar organised by the Academy of Professors Malaysia in June.

According to the Higher Education Ministry’s website, there were 95,955 international students enrolled in Malaysia’s higher education institutions and polytechnics in 2020, up from 93,570 in 2019 – a far cry from the number we want to see in four years.

But despite Covid-19 derailing the targeted number of international student enrolment, the country continues to attract international students with more applying to enter the country compared to previous years.

In March, the number of new applications increased by 120% compared to the same month last year.

Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) recorded 3,254 applications compared to 1,473 and 2,654 received in March 2020 and March 2019, respectively, according to data from the Higher Education Ministry body that manages international students in Malaysia.

These numbers, The Star reported in April, show that the country is still a popular destination among international students.

National Association of Private Educational Institutions (Napei) president Elajsolan Mohan, however, said he does not think the 250,000 target is achievable as the pandemic has greatly impacted the education sector.

“We have to be realistic. Even before Covid-19, we were already falling behind the target,” he said.

Elajsolan said this was due to a lack of pull factors to attract international students.

The pandemic, he added, only compounded the problem.

“We are losing to other countries in the region,” he said, adding that Australia was mulling study visa flexibility, which includes extending post-study work rights, to entice students to its shores.

As a significant portion of the country’s gross domestic product is dependent on international students arriving on our shores, failing to get back on track can prove costly for our economy.