Malaysian Universities advised to strive to be among the top 100 in the world in 5 years

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants Malaysian universities to be able to position themselves in the world’s top 100 in five year’s time.

“In the next five years, I hope to see more of our universities ranked among the top in the world, then Malaysians don’t have to study abroad, don’t have to spend more money because it will be more attractive and cheaper to study in the country, he said during a dialogue session in Melbourne.

The perception of the best education only available abroad will not be true when Malaysia’s universities achieve the top 100 rankings.

“Some time in the future, your son, your daughter, will say why should I go to a university abroad… I can go to University Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan (Malaysia) or Universiti ‘Pagoh’, he said. “We are moving in that direction, slowly but surely.”

Muhyiddin also mentioned that Malaysians study abroad did not enter the best universities because they did not qualify for local universities as well.

“I know quite a number of them. So to say, the good things are always away and Malaysian universities are not up to mark is not correct,” he said, adding that foreigners such as Australians are now coming to Malaysia to study because of the competitive Malaysian ringgit to fund their study.

Muhyiddin also said he was campaigning to bring in more international universities to Malaysia’s shores.