Envoy: UK opens doors to more Malaysian students amid US policy shift
British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ajay Sharma said the UK is ready to welcome more Malaysian students amid shifting global study trends, as the United States (US) tightens its visa policies.
'We want to have more Malaysian students in the UK. We want to have more UK universities here in Malaysia.
'We want to make sure that the educational links get stronger and stronger, but most importantly, that they respond to the needs of people here,' he told Bernama after appearing on Bernama TV's programme The Diplomatic Dispatch here on Thursday.
Sharma said that the UK, known for its academic excellence and globally recognised qualifications, remains an attractive destination for higher education and is ready to accommodate students who may be reconsidering the US or other countries due to recent developments.
'We're very happy to welcome more Malaysian students if they choose to come because of what's happening in the US or elsewhere in the world,' he said.
According to data from the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for the 2023/24 academic year, a total of 12,760 Malaysian students were enrolled in UK higher education institutions, placing Malaysia among the top ten non-EU source countries.
Recalling his recent discussion with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, Sharma disclosed that they were exploring deeper collaboration and facilitating greater access for Malaysian students to UK institutions.
'We talked about how we can cooperate more on ensuring that Malaysian students are able to take advantage of the opportunities in the UK,' he said.
MARA has temporarily suspended the placement of its sponsored students to the US this year following recent changes to student visa policies introduced by the US administration.
Asyraf Wajdi said the agency is offering alternative placements in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and local institutions to ensure students are not affected by the policy shift.
The move follows recent directives by US President Donald Trump's administration to tighten international student visa procedures. — BERNAMA
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