Saudi- Malaysia seeks foreign students 

(MENAFN - Arab News) The Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah and Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education opened an education exhibition in Jeddah on Sunday.

The exhibition will go on for several days at the Malaysian Consulate where representatives from over 20 higher education institutions and universities will be present.

The exhibition aims to underline education quality in Malaysia and encourage Saudi students and expatriates living in Saudi Arabia to choose the country as a destination for pursuing higher studies. The quality of education in Malaysia is closely monitored by the government through legislation and quality control measures.

Currently there are about 90,000 foreign students of 150 nationalities in Malaysia and the number is increasing. Twinning and 30 university programs are available - through which qualifications from different pioneering universities in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and France can be obtained while studying in the ethnically and geographically diverse country of Malaysia - as well as branches of international universities.

"We provide world-class education quality with very competitive fees," said Shushilil Azam Bin Shuib, Malaysian education consul. In addition to the relatively low fees, the cost of living is also low compared to other countries, he added.

Visitors to the exhibition will meet representatives of participating universities and be able to discuss and obtain answers to their questions immediately.

In addition to university degrees, Malaysian universities offer vocational and continuing education courses, language skills and summer courses and different training programs.

To enter Malaysia, a foreign student needs an admission letter from a private or public institution, in addition to other simple procedures like being physically fit and capable of affording tuition and costs of living.

For more information on entry procedures, the Malaysian Immigration Department must be approached through the Internet or telephone.

Once a student is admitted, a university card is to be obtained from the Immigration Department, the body that approves and issues cards for foreign students.

Foreign students are allowed to have a part-time job during their study - no more than 20 hours a week. Authorities in Malaysia allow some family members to stay with the students for the whole period of study including parents for all students; spouses, children and fathers of students from the Middle East; spouses and children of postgraduate students.