Foreign universities offer more choices

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PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia welcomed the opening of top-notch foreign universities as this would increase competition and the choice of quality education in the country, said Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh.

Idris said the presence of overseas universities in Malaysia was in line with the objectives of the Higher Education Blueprint 2015-2025, especially to transform the higher education delivery.

“We believe that the presence of overseas universities in Malaysia will complement our home-grown universities and their offerings,” he said at the opening of the United Kingdom university Heriot-Watt campus in Malaysia, here, yesterday.

Idris said Heriot-Watt University had made the right decision by choosing Putrajaya to open its second campus in Asia because the federal government’s administrative capital was a growing and dynamic location.

The RM191 million campus on 1.94 hectares of land is the institution’s second overseas campus in Asia after Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It will house 4,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and offer a range of courses in science, engineering, business, mathematics and design, with a view to gaining a UK-recognised degree.

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia opened its first premises here in January 2013 which was temporarily housed at Menara Putrajaya Holding and currently having nearly 3,500 students. — Bernama