Press Room

The Star, 23 January 2005

Book: Education Guide Malaysia (9th edition)
Publisher: Challenger Concept (M) Sdn Bhd
Price: RM33

THE LATEST edition of Education Guide Malaysia is a useful source of reference for students and parents who would like a good overview of education in Malaysia.

This 546-paged education directory contains useful information on public and private tertiary institutions, private and international schools, educational service providers and the Malaysian educational system.

One of the best improvements to the 9th edition is the quick search course index. This index is a fast way to find out which universities or colleges are offering the course you are interested in, as it is arranged by type of institution (eg public university, private college, branch campus of foreign university) and areas of study.

However, students should be aware that the institutions listed here are not comprehensive, as they comprise only those universities and colleges that have advertised in the education guide.

Another new feature in this edition is the listing of courses by both areas of study (eg accounting, medicine, Islamic studies) as well as by streams (ie arts, science and arts or science), for all Malaysian public universities and colleges.
This will make it much easier for upper secondary students to search for courses they are eligible for, and for lower secondary students to determine the relevant stream they should enter in Form Four.

Carrying on from previous years, the guidebook provides write-ups on the national education system and its development, study options, costs and entry requirements of the private education sector, as well as the entry requirements for SPM and STPM holders into private colleges and public universities.

Technical and vocational training is also covered in an informative chapter that provides details like duration of course, entry requirements and course fees. Reflecting the importance of vocational training, there is also a write-up on the National Vocational Training Council (MLVK), and the National Skills Certification System.

Students interested in pursuing Masters and Doctorate programmes can refer to the chapter on �Malaysian Postgraduate Degree Programmes,� while those with financial concerns can check out the useful chapter on �Financing for Higher Education.�

Undecided students can get some help making up their minds from the chapter on �Deciding Where and What to Study in Malaysia.�
Profiles on various public and private tertiary institutions, private and international schools, professional and semi-professional bodies, and educational service providers are also provided. Courses offered by these institutions are organised in the course directory for easy referral and include details like awarding body, course fee, duration, and entry requirements.

Those interested specifically in public institutions should definitely check out the section on application procedures and programmes offered at Public Higher Educational Institutions.

The institutions covered here include polytechnics, teacher training colleges, community colleges as well as public universities.

Students who are keen on studying abroad can get details like cost of living, visa requirements, accommodation, financial assistance and employment opportunities for countries like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States. New countries included in this edition are China, Russia and Ukraine.

Those wanting to know more about the key players in Malaysian education can read up on the Private Education Department, the National Accreditation Board (LAN) and the Higher Education Department.

Also provided are brief overviews of associations of private educational institutes, and a who's who in the Malaysian educational scene.

The �Addresses� section provides a comprehensive list of the contact details of various educational institutions, professional and semi- professional bodies and educational service providers in Malaysia.

Two very useful lists for parents and students are the list of approved private institutions of higher learning, and the list of courses of study accredited by LAN, which appear in the �References� section.

There is also a useful appendix on academic point calculation for admission to public universities for SPM and STPM students in this section.

The 9th edition of Education Guide Malaysia is a worthwhile buy for students still undecided on where and what to study in Malaysia.

It is distributed free to all secondary school counsellors in Malaysia. For information call 03-7880 3837. 

Title: StudyMalaysia Interactive CD: Version 2.1 (2005)
Developer: Webway E Services Sdn Bhd
Price: Distributed free

DO YOU have any foreign friends interested in studying in Malaysia, but just do not know where to get reliable information from?

Well, the latest version of the StudyMalaysia Interactive CD is just the thing for them. This handy and up-to-date source of information on education in Malaysia is targeted especially at foreign and expatriate students.

Developed by Webway E Services, this CD serves as an electronic complement to the Education Guide Malaysia published by Webway�s sister company Challenger Concept Sdn Bhd. The information in this CD is presented simply and is easily accessible.

There are nine sections, which consist of an introduction to Malaysia, information on studying in Malaysia, profiles of various educational institutions, application procedures, lists of approved courses and private institutions, as well as useful publications and addresses.

While most of the information in the CD is identical to that in the printed guide, there are some additional details found here that caters specifically for foreign students.

First of course, is the introduction to Malaysia, which includes the reasons why Malaysia is a good place to study in. Guidelines on entry qualifications of overseas students into university foundation courses and undergraduate programmes offered by private educational institutions are given in a table form.
This CD also includes a breakdown of the cost of living in Malaysia, as well as a comparison between the cost of studying at the university�s home campus and studying at its Malaysian campus.

As the main target audience are undergraduates, the postgraduate section here is more simplified and not as thorough as the section in the guidebook.
A very useful chapter for foreign students is �Entering Malaysia to study�. This chapter gives a comprehensive overview of visa and pass procedures for both foreign students and their families. Also included is a list of documents required and the addresses to submit the application forms.

Another useful section is the foreign language versions that give a brief profile on Malaysia, an introduction to the Malaysia educational system, types of private institutes of higher learning and the general programmes they offer, cost of living, and immigration procedures. The languages available are Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian and Vietnamese.

In addition, the addresses for the Malaysian Students Department in various countries, Matrade (Malaysian External Trade and Development Corporation) overseas commissioners, and Malaysian embassies are provided.

This CD is distributed free and is available at nationwide education seminars and some international exhibitions. The system requirements for this CD are a 24X CD-ROM drive, 64MB RAM, Pentium III 500MHz, any Windows platform, sound capacity and a minimum screen resolution of 800x600.

For more information, call +(603) 7880 3837.