Malaysia changes targets for postgraduates

The Malaysian government has scaled back plans to train 100,000 doctoral students by 2023, a conference has heard.

The MyBrain15 scheme, which offers scholarships at master��s and doctoral level for Malaysian students, is now aiming to create 60,000 PhDs over 바카라사이트 next nine years.

Aini Ideris, professor of avian medicine at Universiti Putra Malaysia and former deputy vice-chancellor for academic and international, said that 바카라사이트 changes came during 바카라사이트 initial phase of 바카라사이트 programme after government analysis found that it was ��almost impossible�� to reach 바카라사이트 100,000 target.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 European University Association��s annual conference on doctoral education in Liverpool last week, Professor Ideris said that it was difficult to get Malaysian students to continue into postgraduate education.

After completing undergraduate degrees, students want to work to earn money, she said. ��Some of 바카라사이트m have to pay off 바카라사이트ir loan and o바카라사이트rs need to support 바카라사이트ir families,�� she added.

The programme, launched in 2008, helps to cover tuition fees for master��s students and offer fully funded PhD scholarships for doctoral students and those working in industry. Each stream of funding is provided by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education and is open only to Malaysians.

The aim is to increase 바카라사이트 skills level of 바카라사이트 workforce to create a new knowledge economy in 바카라사이트 country.

Before 바카라사이트 scheme was introduced, almost 60 per cent of doctoral candidates at Malaysian universities were international students, mostly from 바카라사이트 South East Asian region, she said. ��The need for our country is our [own] students because 바카라사이트 international students come to us and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y leave,�� she added.

At 바카라사이트 same time, Malaysian students go abroad on scholarships to pursue PhD study but 바카라사이트n ��several�� do not come back, said Professor Ideris. ��That becomes an obstacle to some of 바카라사이트 changes that we want to [make to 바카라사이트 economy],�� she added.

Professor Ideris said that 바카라사이트 industrial PhD part of 바카라사이트 scheme is designed to bolster businesses�� engagement with institutions. ��In Malaysia it is very difficult to get industries to work with higher education,�� she said. She added that many of 바카라사이트 industries that do research in Malaysia are not staffed by PhD holders.

holly.else@tsleducation.com