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INTERNATIONALSTUDENT SURVEYGrowing Global EducationRising to the international export challenge
2019ISS•MY•
2 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
About the International Student Survey
The International Student Survey is the world’s largest survey of pre-enrolment for international students.
The 2019 survey was conducted by QS and ran from November 2018 to March 2019 with the participation of over
75,000 students and 71 universities globally.
This report focuses on the responses provided by over 3,400 prospective international students who identified that
they are considering studying in Malaysia.
For more information please visit www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Key facts
Respondent demographics:
Gender
55% Male
44% Female
1% Other
75,000 globally
Respondents
3,400 considering Malaysia
Respondents
191 represented
Nationalities
Universities71 participatedglobally
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Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 3
Respondent demographics:
Planned study level
35% Undergraduate
60% Postgraduate
5% Other ( incl.foundation and vocational)
Top subject areas
24% Business and Administration
15% Engineering
8% Mathematical and Computer Science
Age
31% 30% 20%
17-21 22-25 26-30
Percentage
Income
Percentage 53% 17% 4%
Under $25K $25-100K Over $100K
Get a free place for your university in the next International Student Survey
Participation in the International Student Survey is free for universities, and all participating institutions receive a free benchmarking report with useful insights for student recruitment.
For more information visit www.internationalstudentsurvey.com/take-part
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Contents1. About the International Student Survey 2
2. Foreword from Andy Nicol, Managing Director, QS Enrolment Solutions 5
3. Recommendations 6
4. Section 1 – How students make decisions on their university application 7
What is the order of decision making for prospective international students when applying to universities? 7
What factors are most important when choosing a course, country, university and town? 8
What other countries do prospective international students consider and why do they consider Malaysia in the first place? 12
5. Section 2 – The importance of teaching quality perceptions 15
What are the biggest indicators of teaching quality to prospective international students? 15
How do prospective students define a good quality teacher? 16
6. Section 3 – Influences on prospective students and the role of agents 18
How many prospective students already know someone studying overseas and how do their experiences influence their choices? 18
Who influences prospective students and what will they discuss with them? 20
Where do international education agents feature most in the decision-making process? 21
7. Section 4 – Interest in branch campuses and degree transfer programmes 24
How many prospective students would consider studying in a branch campus and why do they consider them? 24
What are the current levels of awareness and interest in the degree transfer programme offered by some Malaysian universities? 26
8. Section 5 – The potential for online study to disrupt traditional learning patterns 29
How many prospective students are interested in online learning? 29
What are the levers to be applied and barriers to be addressed when it comes to online learning? 30
9. About QS 33
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Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 5
Foreword from Andy Nicol, Managing Director, QS Enrolment Solutions
What does the future hold for the Higher Education sector here in Malaysia? As competition in Higher Education
increases, for both domestic and international students. We are delighted to bring two new insight pieces to the
Malaysian education space, focused on domestic and international student recruitment (Growing Global Education:
Rising to the international export challenge).
The students we surveyed highlighted teaching quality, affordability and student mobility and transfer as vitally
important areas. Moreover, Malaysia’s leading position as a host of foreign branch campuses continues to be a
source of competitive advantage in attracting domestic and international students alike.
Through our annual International and Domestic Student Surveys, and our work to support domestic and
international student recruitment, we have built up a significant amount of insight into the interests and behaviours
of students. As part of the seventh International Student Survey, we surveyed 75,000 prospective students from
191 different countries, over 3,400 of these students are actively considering Malaysia as a study destination. Our
inaugural Malaysian Domestic Student Survey we have had five universities participate with over 800 individual
respondents, we are delighted with this early insight and look forward to building on this foundation for the benefit
of Malaysian universities recruiting locally.
This report doesn’t just cover the results of the surveys, it also outlines recommendations to help Malaysian
institutions adapt to the changing expectations students and harness the opportunities presented by the shifting
higher education market.
In an increasingly competitive market, it is crucial that institutions listen to the views of prospective students
carefully, particularly in terms of how universities can increase perceptions and ratings of student satisfaction. The
student experience which has always been important, is emerging as a critical area of differentiation and a key
measure of success for universities around the world.
Teaching quality and technology are two of the key considerations when measuring the student experience. This
report highlights how a greater focus on celebrating the quality of teaching, and importantly how an education
in Malaysia can lead to international study opportunity, could help universities to attract more students.
Communicating the passion staff have for the subjects they teach and their ‘real-world’ experience beyond academia
could have a major impact, in comparison to purely communicating their academic credentials.
Higher Education plays an important role economically and socially across the world, helping to nurture generations
to come. We believe that it is crucial that this continues and that students remain drawn to world-class learning
and research opportunities. Institutions that listen, adapt and differentiate their offer, while developing strategic
approaches student recruitment, will harness the opportunities available within an increasingly global Higher
Education market.
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Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
Recommendations
1. Universities should emphasise the relatively affordable cost of living and studying compared to leading higher education markets
Malaysia is seen to offer a comparatively low cost of living compared to other markets which prospective
international students are likely to consider, such as UK, US and Australia. This combined with the access to leading
global institutions through the presence of branch campuses are what makes Malaysia an attractive destination.
Universities should consider the value of promoting such messages to attract international students.
2. Promoting the quality of teaching at institutions is central to attracting international students
One of the biggest indicators of teaching quality is how up-to-date the technology is at a given university. This
is encouraging for Malaysian universities, as the country has a global reputation for being first adopters of
new technologies and for having a well developed IT sector. Universities can emphasise these points when
communicating with prospective students.
3. Universities should attempt to expand their own sphere of influence to be able to influence prospective students at multiple stages of the enquiry and application process
Prospective students will go to a range of individuals for information and are likely to go to different people at
different stages. Universities need to be aware of this and ensure they are well known by parents of prospective
students as well as have positive relationships with schools / colleges and international education agents.
4. The presence of branch campuses are a key selling point for the Malaysian higher education sector and should be positioned as a central asset
Interest in studying in branch campuses is significantly higher amongst those looking to study in Malaysia. Students
also expect universities in the future to have greater links with institutions in other countries, which makes Malaysia
well positioned to respond to changing trends in the higher education sector.
5. Online learning has the potential to be another asset for Malaysian universities to promote to prospective international students
Those looking to study in East Asia are more predisposed to look at online courses as an option for their studies.
Malaysian universities should consider expanding their portfolio of online only courses and should look to partner
with other institutions in the region to ensure as comprehensive an offering as possible.
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 7
Section 1 – How students make decisions on their university application
Over the last seven years, the International Student Survey has sought to better understand the process in which
prospective international students make decisions and the different priorities and motivations that determine where
they study at university. In the face of an increasingly competitive global higher education market, it’s now more
important than ever for Malaysian universities to have effective international strategies and to understand why
students choose Malaysia over other destinations. Once they understand this, they can then apply these levers to
their own benefit and at the same time, ensure that any barriers are addressed and minimised. In this section, we’ll
look at how close prospective students are to making a final decision on a range of aspects, before going on to look
at what is important to them at each stage of the decision-making funnel and why they would consider studying in
Malaysia.
Key findings: � High quality teaching, a welcoming location and an affordable cost of living are the most important factors for
prospective students when making decisions about where to study
� Prospective students will consider a range of different markets to study in before narrowing down their options
� The combination of a relatively affordable cost of living and access to high quality teaching via branch campuses
in the country are the main assets to the Malaysian higher education sector
What is the order of decision making for prospective international students when applying to universities?
Within the survey, one of the first things we ask respondents is what stage they’re at when it comes to making
decisions on a range of aspects with regards to their studies. The results below suggest the typical order in which the
majority of prospective international students make decisions. It implies that the first thing they will decide on is the
subject or course they want to study at university. Then they will move onto the question of which country they want
to study in, before finally deciding on the universities they want to apply to. Since for many, the ‘subject’ they want
to study will automatically define the course they’re applying to, it’s a fair assumption that these decisions are made
concurrently.
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Choosing the subject
Choosing the course
Choosing the country
Choosing the university
49%
48%
30%
25%
30%
33%
41%
36%
18%
17%
24%
28%10%
3%
3%
6%
For each of the following, please choose the option that best describes your stage in thedecision-making process
Not yet considering Considering lots of options Considering a few options Decided on preferred option
What factors are most important when choosing a course, country, university and town?
The next step is then to look at what things are most important to prospective students when making decisions at
each of these stages. To do this, we ask respondents to select their top five most important priorities when choosing
a course, country, university and town from a long list of potential factors. Once they’ve done this, we then ask them
to rank these priorities based on their degree of importance. This gives us a greater level of detail when analysing
the results and the relative importance assigned to each aspect. The results show that there are three broad themes
which consistently emerge for prospective students when making decisions on their application:
1. High quality teaching
2. That the student feels welcomed and safe
3. Affordability in terms of living and studying
We’ll go on to look at these in more detail at each stage of the funnel, but for now it’s important to consider these.
They represent three diverse themes, all of which are important to prospective students. Universities need to be
aware of this and be able to communicate their credentials in each area in a clear way to attract students. The ability
to do this is challenging, however it’s vital if a university is to develop an effective international recruitment strategy.
The most important factor when choosing a course is that the course provides the student with their first step on
their chosen career path. As we’ve already seen, the course is one of the first things decided on by prospective
students, which implies that future career considerations take place at the very start of the application process and
is something of huge importance to many students. This priority should be reflected in the way that universities
speak to their prospective student audiences. Another important consideration is that they have a personal interest
in the subject. Whilst we might expect this to emerge as being important, what’s interesting is that when we ask
respondents how they define a ‘good’ teacher, that they have a passion for their subject is one of the principal
indicators. This suggests that students expect their interest in the subject to be reciprocated by their teachers and
that this in turn, is an important factor in how effectively they judge teaching quality at an institution.
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Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 9
It leads to my chosen career
I have a personal interest in the subject
It has affordable tuition fee options (e.g. payment plans)
The course offers high quality teaching
It’s at a university with a good reputation
It has a high graduate employment rate
I can easily meet the entry requirements
The course is well structured
It includes a work placement
It is well-ranked
It has good student satisfaction ratings
I will be studying with like-minded people
It offers the opportunity to study abroad for a semester
It has flexible hours and delivery
It was recommended to me
57%
53%
48%
46%
45%
38%
33%
33%
30%
27%
22%
22%
20%
12%
10%
What five things are most important to you when choosing a course?% of respondents placing each item in their top five
The next stage of the funnel concerns the importance of factors when choosing a country to study in. Here the most
important consideration was that the country is welcoming to international students. This is further evidence of an
increasingly competitive global higher education market, with numerous countries including Canada, Germany and
Australia all taking proactive steps to make themselves appear open and attractive to international students. It’s vital
that Malaysia can demonstrate it has taken similar steps and enhances its own offering to international students
to compete with these countries. These can span multiple areas, however a focus on the amount that international
students would have to pay in tuition fees, expanding the number of English-taught programmes and ensuring that
post-study work regulations are aligned to other global markets would go some way towards proving this. Another
important consideration is that the country has universities with high quality teaching. This suggests it’s important for
Malaysia to emphasise its credentials in this area and be able to communicate this to a global audience. We’ll go on
to look at how it can do this when we come to look at how prospective students define ‘teaching quality’, however for
now it’s important to note that Malaysia’s teaching quality will be judged alongside markets with established higher
education sectors and it’s critical they’re able to compete on this front.
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It is welcoming to international students
It has universities with high quality teaching
It has an affordable cost of living
It has an affordable cost of studying
It has a good reputation as a place to study
I can get a visa to study there
I can get a visa to work after graduating
It has well-ranked universities
It has good graduate employment options
I can improve my language skills
It will help me build a network of connections
The culture / lifestyle appeals to me
It’s near to my home country / country of residence
It was recommended to me
I have friends or family living there
I already live there
60%
52%
51%
51%
39%
38%
35%
31%
31%
30%
28%
28%
10%
8%
6%
2%
What five things are most important to you when choosing a country?% of respondents placing each item in their top five
We also asked respondents on the most important factors at the final stage of the decision-making funnel, namely
choosing a university. Here, the most important factor to emerge was that the university offered scholarships. Whilst
the amount that international students pay in Malaysia is something that will vary from institution to institution, at
international campuses these fees can reach comparatively high levels, therefore it’s unsurprising to see this emerge
as an important consideration. As a follow-up, we also asked respondents what type of scholarship they would
prefer, one which was only available to a limited number of students at a higher value, or one which was more widely
available to all students but set at a much lower value. We found that 54% preferred the former option for a higher
value scholarship. However, it’s important to note that there is a relatively even split in terms of overall preference
and that if possible, universities should have a combination of scholarships to offer to prospective students. Another
important consideration was that the university is welcoming to international students. This further reiterates
its importance to prospective students and implies that it’s something which should be communicated both at a
nationwide level and at an institutional level.
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Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 11
It offers scholarships
It is welcoming to international students
It offers high quality teaching
It offers a specific course I am interested in
It has a good reputation for my chosen subject area
It offers a more affordable course in my chosen subject area
It has affordable university-owned accommodation
It is well-ranked
It has a good careers service and links with employers
It has a high graduate employment rate
The overall reputation of the institution
I will be able to make friends with people from different countries
It is in my preferred town/city/country
It has well known or famous alumni
It was recommended to me
I have friends or family who have been to that university
65%
57%
54%
43%
37%
35%
31%
30%
29%
29%
29%
25%
14%
8%
8%
5%
What five things are most important to you when choosing a university?% of respondents placing each item in their top five
These results are largely reflected in the types of universities that prospective international students prefer. Given
the split of public and private universities in Malaysia and the differences between the two in terms of fees, entry
requirements and student demographics, it’s worth evaluating the relative levels of interest in the two. When asked
which they’d prefer, a government/public university or a private university, 76% claimed to prefer the former over
the latter. This is interesting, as we know that it’s private universities that tend to have larger concentrations of
international students. However, given the preferences for public universities amongst prospective international
students, it might be worth looking into the possibility of increasing the number of places allocated to international
students at public universities, as the data here suggests there is a huge level of demand for these places. Whilst this
is probably, a factor of public universities being able to offer lower course fees as a result of additional government
funding, it’s still worth bearing in mind that there is such a huge preference for public universities amongst
prospective international students. If utilised correctly, this has the potential to work for the benefit of the higher
education sector in Malaysia.
As a follow-up, we also asked respondents about their most important priorities when selecting a town. Whilst for the
most part, the town they study in will be defined by the university they attend and the ability of a university to effect
this decision is more limited than in other stages of the decision-making process, there are different aspects which
come to the fore, which should be taken into account by universities. The most important factor when deciding on a
town is that it’s safe and welcoming to international students. Not only does this reinforce its importance at multiple
stages of the decision-making funnel, but it also relates back to some of the key concerns of international students,
which revolve around student safety and being made to feel welcome. This implies that it’s a subject which could be
prioritised in university communications as the content matter is likely to resonate well with prospective students.
The same can be said of the next most important consideration when choosing a town, namely that it offers an
affordable cost of living. The fact that this emerges as an important consideration throughout the decision-making
process and is one of the key concerns of international students, suggest it’s something which should be addressed
when universities communicate with their prospective student audiences.
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It is a safe and welcoming place
Cost of living
It has universities with high quality teaching
I can work while studying
It has affordable rental accommodation
It has a good reputation as a place to study
It has good lifestyle and leisure opportunities
It has well-ranked universities
I will have access to my preferred employers
It was recommended to me
I have friends or family living there
I already live there
82%
67%
60%
60%
55%
52%
44%
37%
20%
12%
8%
3%
What five things are most important to you when choosing a town or city to study in?% of respondents placing each item in their top five
What other countries do prospective international students consider and why do they consider Malaysia in the first place?
Prospective students looking to study in Malaysia are likely to consider a range of markets. On average, they will
consider between seven and eight markets in addition to Malaysia, showing they will consider numerous countries
before narrowing down their choices. It also reiterates the need for Malaysian universities to stand out in a
crowded marketplace in the eyes of the student. The most popular additional markets were Australia, Canada and
the UK, although US, Germany, China and Singapore are all widely considered as well. This suggests that Malaysia
is often considered alongside markets with long-established higher education sectors with a reputation for high
quality teaching. It’s vital that they develop a comprehensive understanding of why students will consider Malaysia
in the first place and what Malaysia can offer these students over other destinations. This will help them when
communicating with prospective students to emphasise the positives and help them in developing international
recruitment strategies.
What’s encouraging for Malaysian universities however, is the high proportion of students who consider Malaysia as
their first-choice destination when compared to other countries. When asked which country respondents are most
likely to end up studying in, 24% selected Malaysia, which suggests that whilst prospective students will consider a
number of additional markets, a significant proportion will focus on Malaysia first and foremost. This is significant,
as it suggests that there are elements which come from studying in Malaysia which prove attractive to certain
prospective students and it’s important we can identify what those are.
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Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 13
Malaysia
Australia
Canada
United Kingdom
United States
Germany
China
Singapore
New Zealand
France
Turkey
Japan
Switzerland
Netherlands
Sweden
Italy
24%
15%
14%
9%
6%
6%
2%
2%
2%
2%
100%
57%
54%
52%
43%
42%
31%
31%
27%
25%
25%
24%
23%
22%
22%
21%
Where are you considering studying in the future? /Which of the countries you are considering are you most likely to study in?
Where are you considering studying in the future?
Which of the countries you are considering are you most likely to study in?
When asked why they consider Malaysia, a number of diverse themes come up which could be utilised in university
communications. The first theme is that of the comparatively low cost of living and studying in Malaysia, compared to
other leading global higher education markets. From our work on previous iterations of the International Student
Survey, the main concerns of prospective international students revolve around the cost of living abroad, being able
to find scholarships and getting a job while studying. So, it’s clear that financial worries play a significant role in the
decision-making process and that Malaysia offering itself as a cheaper alternative to other markets is one way to
directly address these concerns. It’s clear that this is an advantage which Malaysia must consider utilising when it
comes to attracting prospective international students:
� “Institutions in Malaysia offered an affordable option and Malaysia has a high quality of study. The tuition
fees and the cost of living is relatively low compared to study destinations with a more established history
as a study destination.”
� “Because they have some medical universities that are relatively affordable compared to other medical
universities and they are well ranked.”
� “The cost of studying and living in Malaysia is comparatively lower than countries such as Australia, the US,
the UK, France, Canada. Besides, the cost of living in Malaysia is considerably lower as well, which eases
your financial burden.”
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Another important theme to emerge was the ties it holds with institutions from elsewhere and the presence of
branch campuses in the country. These are seen to add to the quality and diversity of the higher education offering
in the country:
� “A major part of Malaysia’s state investment in higher education is its growing partnerships with universities
in other countries. Many foreign universities, especially Australian and British, have branch campuses in
Malaysia.”
� “The reputation of its domestic universities is on the up. But what really makes the country stand out is its
partnerships with leading universities around the world, many of which have branch campuses in Malaysia.”
� “Because in Malaysia there are many international universities, many international universities open
branches in Malaysia.”
The combination of being able to offer access to world-class higher education institutions and a relatively affordable
cost of living and studying are two elements which if communicated appropriately, could enhance the attractiveness
of Malaysia as a study destination.
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Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 15
Section 2 – The importance of teaching quality perceptions
We’ve already seen that considerations around teaching quality are of the utmost importance to prospective
international students when deciding on what and where to study. We’ll now go on to look at how they define
teaching quality and what qualities they look for in their teachers. With teaching quality fast becoming a topic of
debate within the sector amidst discussions of how to offer value for money to the student, it’s vital that universities
can speak clearly and meaningfully to prospective students about the subject and they can only do that if they know
what teaching quality means to them.
Key findings � Up-to-date technology and the university’s teaching staff are the most important indicators of teaching quality
� Students want their lecturers to have a passion for the subject matter and to be able to draw on their ‘real-
world’ experiences when teaching
What are the biggest indicators of teaching quality to prospective international students?
In the same way that we asked respondents to identify their priorities at each stage of the decision-making funnel,
we also asked them to identify what five factors best indicated high quality teaching at a university and then to
rank these based on what was most indicative. The most popular answer was that the university has up-to-date
technology. This is probably reflective of the fact that Malaysia has a reputation for embracing new forms of
technology and for having a well-developed and advanced IT sector. This is well known at a global level and is also
reflected in the reasons for many prospective students considering Malaysia in the first place:
� “Because Malaysia’s economy has seen tremendous development and technological advancement.”
� “Because of the many technological advancements in IT that best suit my study interests.”
� “I have considered studying in Malaysia because of the high quality technology advancements and the
availability of research tools.”
For universities, this implies that positioning their up-to-date technology as an indicator of quality teaching could
be an aspect that universities can emphasise to attract prospective students to Malaysia. Another popular indicator
of quality teaching was the university’s teaching staff. This suggests that universities should promote their lecturers
as an asset when communicating with potential students. Interestingly, this sits in contrast to the results from our
upcoming Malaysian Domestic Student Survey. This indicates that domestic students place much less important
on teaching staff and instead, focus on other metrics, such as a high graduate employment rate as an indicator of
teaching quality. The discrepancy between the measures used by domestic and international students to identify
quality teaching, reinforces the need for universities to develop different marketing messages for different student
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segments. The fact that a university receiving recognition of teaching quality via a country-wide measurement
scheme also emerges as an important factor, is likely indicative of the growth of such schemes in other markets
over the last few years. The establishment of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in the UK and the Quality
Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) in Australia are two such examples and suggest that the use of such
schemes has the potential to be a powerful tool in attracting prospective international students.
Up-to-date technology
The university's teaching staff
Received recognition of teaching quality via country-wide measurement
The university is ranked well in independent ratings
University organises placements as part of courses
A high graduate employment rate
High volume of face-to-face teaching hours
The university responds quickly to my enquiries
High graduate starting salaries
Good online learning options
69%
64%
56%
54%
53%
51%
50%
43%
31%
25%
Which five factors are most important to you when assessing a university's teachingquality?% of respondents placing each item in their top five
How do prospective students define a good quality teacher?
We asked respondents which five factors best demonstrated a lecturer or teacher provided good quality teaching.
The results suggest that the aspects which prospective students look for, focus on the lecturer being able to engage
their students by drawing on their ‘real world’ experiences extending beyond the world of academia and getting
positive feedback for doing so. They’re less focused on the lecturer getting rewarded in the form of awards or having
themselves studied at a prestigious university.
The biggest indicator is that the lecturer is passionate about the subject they teach. We’ve already seen that a
personal interest is central to prospective students’ choice of course at university and this reiterates that students
want their enthusiasm for the subject matter to be reflected by their teachers. Another important indicator is that
the lecturer has impressive ‘real-world’ experience. What this suggests is that prospective students are looking for
lecturers who can help them to apply their knowledge in a practical way for their future careers and that those who
have had experience outside the world of academia are best placed to do this. The third biggest indicator is that they
have received positive reviews from students. It’s worth focusing on this, as we know that peer-to-peer reviews are
likely to carry more weight than endorsements from other sources. One way for universities to respond to this is by
communicating testimonials from current students on the quality of the teacher through marketing materials and
social media.
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Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 17
They are passionate about the subject they teach
They have extensive real-world experience
They have positive reviews from previous students
They use multimedia / interactive teaching methods
They make it clear what is needed to pass the course
They have a strong reputation for research
They receive high satisfaction scores from students
They have been teaching for a long time
High grades in the qualifications they studied
They have won teaching awards
They have won industry awards
They studied at a prestigious university
77%
63%
53%
53%
50%
49%
49%
36%
27%
16%
14%
13%
Which five factors indicate to you that a teacher/lecturer provides good teaching quality?% of respondents placing each item in their top five
These findings have several implications for universities. As a priority, they need to ensure that lecturer profiles are
comprehensive and easy to find on their website. They also need to make sure that visitors to the website are able to
link to these profiles from the course pages, as often these choices go hand in hand for prospective students. It also
means that universities should embrace the possibility of promoting their lecturers in email campaigns via nurture
tracks they can establish with their prospects. These results demonstrate the priority which prospective students
place on teaching staff, so any content which directly relates to this is likely to resonate well with this audience.
Perhaps the most telling statistic with regards to teaching quality is that when asked which they’d prefer, a university
with excellent teaching quality or a university with high rankings, 81% preferred a university with excellent teaching
quality. This reiterates its importance in the decision-making process and reinforces the view that regardless of a
university’s location or ranking score, they can still showcase good teachers and use their lecturers as part of their
international recruitment strategies.
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Section 3 – Influences on prospective students and the role of agents
As well as examining what the biggest priorities are for prospective students in their study decisions, it’s also
important to look at who influences them when they’re making those decisions. This can encompass a range
of individuals, from friends and family to advisors at their school or college and they will all have a greater or
lesser input at different stages of the decision-making funnel To help universities develop effective international
recruitment strategies, it’s important to consider how they can best interact with the individuals who influence
prospective students. In this section we’ll evaluate how international students are influenced by a wide range of
people and take an in-depth look at how international education agents feature in this regard.
Key findings � The majority of prospective students know a close friend or family member who has at one point been an
international student
� Family members are most likely to influence prospective students when they’re choosing which country to study
in, however school staff are most likely to advise them on which course is best
� International Education Agents are becoming more widely considered by prospective students and they’re
viewed as a helpful resource with university, scholarship and visa applications
How many prospective students already know someone studying overseas and how do their experiences influence their choices?
In previous iterations of the International Student Survey, we’ve highlighted how the influence of a personal network
of contacts has the potential to be a major factor in prospective international students’ decision-making. Those
interested in studying in Malaysia are no different, with 66% knowing at least one family member or friend who
is currently or has previously studied overseas. This implies that the notion of going overseas to study is strongly
embedded in certain communities around the world and that through word-of-mouth recommendations, those who
have previously studied overseas will influence the next generation of international students. We know from previous
research that recommendations from their own peer groups will always carry more weight in the mind of the student
than anything they might be told via more official channels, such as from the university itself.
As a way to market their institution more effectively in the modern age of social media, universities could consider
introducing incentivisation schemes for friends and family as a way to enhance their international student
recruitment strategy.
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 19
Do you have any friends or family that have previously or are currently studying as aninternational student?
34%No
66%Yes
To demonstrate this, we asked those respondents who personally knew someone studying overseas, whether that
person had influenced them at any stage in their decision-making. 70% claimed to have been swayed in their choices
in at least one stage of the decision-making process by these individuals. Over half (53%) had been influenced in
their choice of country and nearly a third (29%) in their choice of university. This implies that international alumni
networks have the potential to be a hugely valuable resource for universities. By utilising these networks, universities
can enhance their reputation for being welcoming to international students through word-of-mouth
recommendations. In doing so, this will help them to attract new generations of international students.
Yes - choice of country Yes - choice of university Yes - choice of course No
53%
29%
25%
30%
Has the experience of your friend(s) and/or family influenced your choice?
20 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
Who influences prospective students and what will they discuss with them?
In addition to this, it’s vital to evaluate who prospective students will speak to when making decisions about what
and where to study. We asked respondents who they had discussed their study options with and found that nearly
two-thirds (61%) had spoken to their parents and nearly two-fifths (39%) had spoken to their siblings. In total, 75%
of prospective students will speak to at least one family member when making decisions about studying overseas.
Whilst we might expect to see the strong influence of family on prospective students, what’s interesting is that they
will also go to a range of other individuals in a bid to gather information. 36% will speak to advisors at their current
place of education, 34% will go to ambassadors from a university they’re interested in and 21% will speak to an
international education agent. In total, 58% of prospective students will speak to an individual who isn’t a family
member about their study decisions. This implies that prospective students aren’t just limited to their close network
of family and friends for information and instead will go to a range of individuals for additional viewpoints. If possible,
universities need to expand their sphere of influence, so that it covers as many potential individuals as possible, to
ensure they’re at the top of the student’s consideration list.
36%
39%
Have you or will you discuss your study options with any of the following:
34%
61% 24%
21%
Parents
Advisors at school /college
Siblings
Student ambassadorsfrom university
Other family
International educationagents
The next step is to look at what topics they will discuss with each of these individuals. We found that prospective
international students demonstrate a trend of discussing different things with different people. They are most likely
to go to advisors at their school or college at the start of the decision-making funnel when they’re thinking about
which subject to study. One possible explanation for this is that they feel these people are best placed to advise
them which courses they should be applying to, that will then lead to their chosen career path. We’ve already seen
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 21
that future career considerations are important to prospective students when deciding on what course to study and
it’s likely that they feel these individuals are most knowledgeable about what courses are most appropriate for them.
When deciding on which country to study in, they’re most likely to speak to their parents for advice. We know from
previous research that parents exert a great deal of influence on their children. However, what’s less well known is
how this influence is applied. The results here suggest that parents are most influential on the question of where
and not what to study. As we’ve already seen, that the country is welcoming to international students is of prime
importance at this stage of the decision-making funnel, so it could be that prospective students are looking to their
parents for reassurance that the country they decide on can offer them this. International education agents are the
individuals most likely to be used at the final stage of the funnel, when prospective students come to decide on a
university. We’ll go on to look at international education agents in more detail in the next section, as the issue of how
they’re used by prospective students is a complex one which merits further consideration.
Choice of course Choice of country Choice of university
64%61%
54%
67%
62%
58%
82%
72%68%
52%
48%
73%
63%61%
53%
60% 59%
76%
What have you discussed with these people?
Legend
Parents
Siblings
Other family
Advisors at school
Student ambassadors
Agent
Where do international education agents feature most in the decision-making process?
As we’ve just seen, the role of international education agents appears to be a comparatively small one in a
prospective students’ decision-making. Only around a fifth of prospective students admit to speaking to an agent and
even for them, it’s only towards the latter stages of the funnel when they come to decide on a university, that their
influence is truly felt. Nevertheless, it’s important to clarify the full extent that they influence prospective students
and identify the potential for this to increase in the future. Two-fifths of prospective students have either used or are
planning to use an international education agent, suggesting a significant proportion of the market are at least aware
of and considering the use of them.
22 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
11%28%35%26%
Are you planning to, or have you already used an international education agent?
Unsure Not planning to use Planning to use Have already used
For those who have used or are planning to use an agent, the default attitude for many is that they’re seen as a
trusted information source that can be useful in informing the decisions that they make, however they’re not seen as
being a huge influence on the final decisions of the prospective student. Taken at face value, this might be an
encouraging sign, as it limits the role of agents to one of simply imparting information rather than actively directing
international students down a particular pathway. However, it’s important to note that nearly half do admit to having
an agent influence their choice of country and university, suggesting they have the potential to be a significant
influence on a sizeable proportion of the prospective student population. This is something we’ll look at in future
iterations of the International Student Survey to see if the role and influence of agents is expanding.
Agents are useful in helping me studyoverseas, but they don't influence my
decisions
Agents are a trusted source of information on international study
Agents influence my choice of university
Agents influence my choice of country tostudy in
22%
16%
10%
48%
48%
38%
35%
16%
24%
27%
31%
17%
17%10% 8%
9%
7%
5%
5%
9%
Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about international educationagents?
Strongly disagree Disagree Neither Agree Strongly agree
There are numerous factors at play for prospective students when deciding whether to use an agent or not. We
asked respondents whether an agent had ever introduced them to a university they otherwise wouldn’t have
been aware of or considered, 52% admitted to this, which suggests that agents play an important role for some
universities, as they’re able to connect a sizeable proportion of prospective students to a number of lesser known
universities that they wouldn’t be able to reach. As a follow-up, we also asked prospective students why they decided
to use an agent. Interestingly, a popular reason for using agents was that prospective students are encouraged
to use them by their family and friends. This adds another layer of complexity for universities to think about when
dealing with agents, as we often directly compare the influence of family against that of agents and find that family
are far more influential. However, if these close personal networks are encouraging the use of agents then that
opens another avenue for them to expand their influence. Given the influence of family and friends in the decision-
making process, this could have implications for how universities treat international education agents. The final
element we queried respondents on was what services they’d like to receive from an international education agent.
When asked about this, the services most desired from prospective students were help with their university, visa and
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 23
scholarship applications (all at around 70%). This implies that there is demand for agents to provide assistance at
multiple stages of the decision-making funnel and not just be involved when it comes to choosing a university. If their
sphere of influence expands to include all these activities, they have the potential to be the most influential figure on
prospective students’ decision-making. Universities need to be aware of this and be able to respond accordingly by
ensuring they have constructive relationships with their international education agents.
Has an international education agent ever made you aware of a university you hadn’t previously heard of or considered?
Why did you / are you planning to use an international education agent?
And which of the following services would you most like to receive from an international education agent?
Don’t know
16% 52%32%
No
Yes
Recommended to use one by friends / family
45%
Help with uni application
72%
Help with visa application
70%
Help with scholarship application
69%
Guarantee I would get admitted to uni
50%
Met agent through school fair
23%
Uni required students from my country to use one
24%
24 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
Section 4 – Interest in branch campuses and degree transfer programmes
The concept of transnational education is one which has received increasing amounts of attention in recent years
and the popularity of branch campuses as a way for universities to administer degrees outside their own borders
looks set to grow. Branch campuses are now an established part of the higher education sector in Malaysia and by
and large, they’ve succeeded in raising the profile of the country as a leader in global higher education. Given the
presence of numerous branch campuses in Malaysia from universities in the UK, Australia and beyond, it’s worth
looking at how these are perceived by prospective students, to see if they’re an asset which can be used in attracting
them to study in the country.
Key findings � Interest in branch campuses is far greater for prospective Malaysian students than it is for those in other
countries
� Branch campuses in Malaysia are seen to be better on key aspects relating to university reputation and the
quality of teaching
� Over half of prospective international students are aware of the Degree Transfer Scheme and over three
quarters would be interested in taking part in it
How many prospective students would consider studying in a branch campus and why do they consider them?
When asked whether they would consider studying at a branch campus of a foreign university, 41% of prospective
international students expressed an interest in this option. This is significantly higher than those looking to study in
other leading higher education markets, such as the UK, Australia, the US and Canada. This is probably reflective of
the heightened presence of branch campuses in Malaysia, however it’s worth noting that this seems to have been
picked up on by prospective international students. Utilising this as an asset is going to be critical when it comes to
attracting and retaining this audience.
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 25
Are you considering studying at a branch campus of a foreign university?
Canada25%
United States25%
Germany28%
Netherlands26%
United Kingdom24%
Malaysia41%
New Zealand26%
Singapore34%
Australia23%
As a follow-up, we asked prospective international students how they thought branch campuses of foreign
universities compared to local universities in their own country. The results suggest that those looking to study in
Malaysia have a highly positive opinion of branch campuses and hold them in high regard. This perception extends
to numerous areas such as university facilities and teaching quality. We’ve already seen that teaching quality is a
consistently important consideration throughout the decision-making process, so emphasising the quality of
teaching in branch campuses could be an effective method to attract international students. Another element
perceived to be significantly better for students in branch campuses is graduate outcomes. Given the importance of
future career considerations to prospective students, this provides another asset to emphasise when
communicating with prospective students. The only area in which branch campuses don’t compare as favourably is
in the perceived cost. Branch campuses are relatively expensive compared to local universities in the source
countries of prospective international students. But it’s important to remember that when it comes to overall cost,
Malaysian branch campuses will be compared to the source countries for the branch campus institution. In most
cases, this will mean that Malaysia is compared to the UK, US and Australia where it has a natural advantage by being
able to offer a comparatively low cost of living.
26 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
Branch campuses of foreign universities are better Local universities are better
University brand
Teaching quality
Facilities
Student experience
Graduate outcomes
Cost
67%
65%
65%
56%
55%
33%
12%
12%
14%
17%
16%
43%
How do you think branch campuses of foreign universities compare to local universities?
What are the current levels of awareness and interest in the degree transfer programme offered by some Malaysian universities?
The degree transfer programme offered by numerous universities is a well-established scheme that allows students
studying in Malaysia to continue or complete their studies at an overseas institution. In doing so, they’re able to
make a significant cost saving by only studying abroad for a limited time-period, but still emerge with a qualification
from a university in one of the partner countries. Given the obvious benefits of such a scheme to Malaysian domestic
students, it’s unsurprising to see it being so successful. However, it’s worth gauging the current levels of awareness
and interest in the scheme amongst an international audience to see if there is merit in the idea of promoting this as
a benefit to studying in Malaysia, in a bid to attract international students in greater numbers.
We gave respondents a short description of the degree transfer scheme and the way it works for higher education
students. Over half (52%) of those looking to study in Malaysia claimed to be aware of this scheme. From our work
on the Domestic Student Survey in Malaysia, we know that this is significantly lower compared to domestic students,
however given that this is an international audience, this is still unexpectedly high and suggests that students looking
to study in Malaysia will research the country in detail before deciding where to study.
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 27
Some Malaysian universities have partnered with universities in other countries around theworld. This partnership allows their students to begin studying in Malaysia, then transfer toanother university to complete their studies overseas (this scheme is sometimes referred toas the ‘degree transfer programme’). Were you aware of this programme before today?
52%
Yes
39%
No
9%
Don't know
However, what’s interesting is that when we ask respondents whether they might want to participate in such a
scheme, over three-quarters of prospective students are either somewhat or very interested. The overwhelmingly
positive response here suggests that it’s worth exploring the possibility of expanding this programme to include
international students as well. In addition to this, it’s worth mentioning that there are relatively equal levels of interest
in the scheme regardless of whether prospective students had heard of it or not (before they came to answer
the survey). This implies that there is merit in building awareness of the programme at an international level. The
level of interest amongst international students is also consistent with that of domestic students in Malaysia. This
suggests that there would be an equally positive response to the scheme if it was expanded and made available to
international students.
International
Domestic
55%
46%
24%
32%
18%
19%
And if you did go on to study in Malaysia, how interested would you be in taking part in thisscheme?
Very uninterested Somewhat uninterested Neutral Somewhat interested Very interested
We also asked respondents which countries they would be most interested in transferring to, to complete their
studies. The most popular destinations were Australia (35%) and Canada (20%). Whilst a wide variety of courses
at Australian universities are included in the degree transfer scheme, the presence of Canadian universities is
significantly underrepresented, given its popularity as a destination for international students. It might be worth
looking to expand the scheme so that it has more ties with courses from universities in Canada to ensure a wider
28 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
and more representative choice for participating students. With the Canadian government having taken numerous
steps in recent years to enhance the country’s attractiveness to international students, this would be a logical step if
the scheme was expanded to include international students in Malaysia.
Which country would you most want to transfer to, to complete your studies?
Other: 8%None of these: 4%
Canada20%
United States11%
United Kingdom17%
Japan6%
Australia35%
The importance of countries to have established transnational educational partnerships cannot be overstated. This
is reiterated in one of the questions we ask respondents to get a better idea of what they expect universities to be
able to offer students over the next ten years. To do this, we presented prospective international students with a
number of different scenarios spanning a range of areas related to university life. From ‘lectures will be given by
holograms’, to ‘physical libraries will no longer exist’, we asked which of them would be truer for universities in 2029.
The most anticipated scenario was that ‘students will be able to get a qualification from any university, regardless of
which country they live in’, with 60% selecting this option. This suggests that in the future, prospective students see
higher education as becoming increasingly transnational and less focused on markets with the most established
higher education sectors and more broadly available to a larger pool of learners. This would mean national borders
play less of a role in restricting who can go to a specific university. It’s worth noting that Malaysian universities are
well placed to build up partnerships in other countries and will be able to reflect the increasing transnational nature
of the sector that many prospective students expect. They need to be given the freedom to continue building and
strengthening these international partnerships to be able to respond to the changing learning environment of the
sector. This will ensure that Malaysia continues to be seen as a leading destination for higher education that invest in
its universities and benefits from a large cohort of international students.
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 29
Section 5 – The potential for online study to disrupt traditional learning patterns
The number of universities around the world offering online-only degrees has rapidly increased in recent years and
it looks set to be a part of the sector that will have a consequent rise in value to universities. We’ve already seen that
one of the most anticipated scenarios for the higher education sector is that it will become increasingly transnational
and that national borders will be less of a restriction in defining which students can study at which university.
However, when we posed this question to respondents, another popular prediction was that most lectures will be
online. This suggests that prospective students anticipate a greater online presence in the sector over the coming
years and that learning will be less focused around a specific campus, with content more widely available and
spanning across multiple different platforms.
Key findings � Over half of prospective students express an interest in a degree which incorporates an element of online
learning
� The main perceived benefit of online study is that it gives students the opportunity to work while studying
� The main barrier which needs to be overcome is that students want full access to the facilities of a university
How many prospective students are interested in online learning?
We evaluated the current levels of interest in online learning formats, to gauge its potential as an avenue for
Malaysian universities to expand their reach and influence. Whilst the majority continue to express a preference for
learning in person, a sizeable minority express an interest in online learning formats. 34% were interested in open
online courses (MOOCs), 31% in pure distance / online study and 47% expressed an interest in study which blends
full-time study with distance learning. In total, 53% were interested in any form of study which incorporates an online
element. This demonstrates that there is interest in online learning from large numbers of prospective students and
it reflects what we saw earlier, which suggests that they see an enhanced presence for learning via online platforms
in the future and that universities will be less focused on campuses in the future.
In person
Blended study (distance plusfull-time study)
MOOCs
Distance / Online study
58%
22%
16%
14%
21%
25%
18%
17%
12%
23%
20%
19%
10%
12%
15%
19%
35%
36%
4%5%
How interested are you in the following delivery options?
Very uninterested Somewhat uninterested Neutral Somewhat interested Very interested
30 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
What’s also interesting is that when we look at those interested in studying in other countries, they express less of an
interest in studying online compared to those looking to study in Malaysia. It appears that there are significant
regional divides, as those looking to study in North America, Western Europe and Oceania are less interested in
online learning, however those looking to study in East Asian markets show higher levels of interest. This implies that
it’s worth Malaysian universities investing greater levels of time and resource into their online-only degree offerings
as it appears to be one area they can leverage over markets elsewhere. The fact that interest is higher amongst
numerous markets throughout East Asia also suggests that there is merit in exploring the possibility of partnering
with other universities in the region to provide a more comprehensive offering.
How interested are you in online / distance study?(% who are very or somewhat interested)
Canada26%
United States28%
Germany26%
United Kingdom26%
China30%
Malaysia30%
New Zealand27%
South Korea32%
Japan32%
Hong Kong32%
Singapore31%
Australia27%
What are the levers to be applied and barriers to be addressed when it comes to online learning?
Now that we’ve established that there could be merit in exploring the possibility of offering a greater number of
online-only degrees by Malaysian universities, it’s important to know what benefits to emphasise when marketing
these to prospective students and the barriers that need to be addressed to ensure that they’re a success.
For those who expressed an interest in studying online, the biggest reason for this is that they can study while
working. From previous research, we know that one of the main concerns for prospective international students
before moving overseas is their ability to find a job while they are studying. Obviously, this ties in with broader
financial concerns and the affordability of studying overseas, however it’s worth reiterating that online study has
the potential to address a key concern for prospective students and that positioning online degrees in this way is
an effective tool for attracting this audience. We’ve also highlighted the importance of future career considerations
when choosing a course, so offering students the chance to apply their learning in their current place of work
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 31
whilst they’re studying is another avenue that could be explored. Other popular perceived benefits are that the
convenience and flexibility that students get from being able to study in any location. We’ve already seen that one
of the most anticipated trends with regards to higher education is that it will become increasingly transnational
in the future. Positioning online degrees as being a way of responding to this trend and offering students greater
accessibility to a wider range of degrees in universities outside their home country is another way of ensuring that
online degrees will be positively received.
I don't need to relocateto gain the benefits of
an overseas degree42%
I enjoy having access to
study materials online60%
Cost
69%
Flexibility73%
Convenience of studying fromany location
74%
I can study while working76%
Why are you interested in studying for an online degree?
32 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge
Malaysia International Student Survey 2019
The main barriers amongst those not interested in studying online are similarly unsurprising. The most significant
barrier to address is that they won’t have access to the facilities of a university. From other questions we ask as part
of the International Student Survey, we know that for prospective students, the facilities of a university are one of the
key indicators of their ranking and global status. The perception amongst prospective students is that study facilities
are also a significant beneficiary of their tuition fees and that the only areas to receive more money from their
fees are funding for academic research and wages for teaching staff. So it seems that the ‘facilities’ of a university
form a large part of how prospective students view that institution and what they think their tuition fees are spent
on. Therefore it makes sense that concerns around not having access to these facilities is a major barrier to be
addressed. To do this, universities need to consider being more transparent in how online courses are priced, so
that prospective students can see what their tuition fees are spent on, to reassure them that they won’t be paying for
facilities they wouldn’t have access to. Another significant barrier to emerge is that they want to meet other students
whilst studying and the opportunities for this are fairly limited in an online course. To combat this, universities should
emphasise the links that students would have to online groups to help them with their studies whilst enrolled on an
online course.
Value for money32%
I am concerned about
teaching quality from an
online degree
54%
I feel like I would beisolated studying online
59%
I need the structure ofscheduled classes
66%
I want to live overseas whileI study
69%
I want to meetother students
76%
I want access to the facilities of
a university
84%
Why are you not interested in studying for an online degree?
www.internationalstudentsurvey.com
Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 33
About QS
With offices around the world, QS is a global market leader for research and understanding of international and
domestic students. Each year we deal with hundreds of thousands of students globally, giving us a unique insight
into the student recruitment market. Our research, strategy, enquiry, admissions and enrolment services mean we
have hands-on experience of the obstacles and opportunities within specific countries and regions, helping clients
mitigate risk, benefit from our existing relationships, and build sustainable recruitment strategies in an increasingly
complex marketplace.
To access other resources from QS visit www.qs.com
For more information please contact:
Paul Raybould
Director of Marketing & Market Intelligence, QS
Acknowledgements and copyright notice
Research for this report was conducted in November 2018 – March 2019 and the report was published in May 2019.
Analysis and data visualisation by Alex Berka, Market Research and Data Manager; layout and graphic design by Izam
Buhan and Jasreen Gill. With thanks to the many other contributors, the 71 participating universities, and all who
responded to our survey.
All information contained in this report is believed to be correct and unbiased, but the publisher does not accept any
responsibility for any loss arising from decisions made upon this information.
QS © 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.
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