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More to study locally next year
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Sun, Dec 07, 2008
New Straits Times
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>KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - The number of people seeking enrolment at colleges and universities is expected to skyrocket next year because of the global economic crisis. Deputy Higher Education Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung said his ministry expected adults who had been retrenched or who had quit their jobs to swell the ranks of those seeking admission.
"The same thing happened during the Asian financial crisis 10 years ago.
"Workers who were asked to go or offered voluntary separation schemes opted to continue their studies."
And school leavers who might have chosen to study abroad, may now study locally as it is cheaper.
Hou said universities and colleges should not only plan ahead to sort out placement problems, but also look into designing short courses specifically for working adults.
They are advised to establish partnerships with companies to design courses that will meet industry needs.
"We also expect more foreign students as our higher learning institutions are not only globally-recognised, but also more affordable than Western institutions," he said after opening the 25th Facon Education Fair at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.
The two-day fair, which ends today, has about 600 local and international exhibitors offering a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Organising chairman Tan Sri Dr Yahaya Ibrahim said many higher learning institutions were moving away from traditional teaching methods to include distance learning programmes that benefited working adults and independent learners.
"We will continue to feature such institutions and promote ideas like establishing a research-based university college that brings all research institutions in the country under one roof."
For the first time, the fair features four foreign government-funded groups from Singapore, Japan, Holland and China, to help visitors get an idea of the education options available in these countries.
The fair, which is open to all for free, starts from noon to 6pm. It will head to Sibu tomorrow followed by Alor Star, Penang, Ipoh, Malacca, Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu, Johor Baru and Tawau.
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