Latest news with #AsyrafWajdiDusuki
The Star
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
No more US varsities through Mara
LONDON: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) will stop sending its students for further studies in the United States starting this year. Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki ( pic ) said the decision was made in view of uncertainties over policies under the US administration. 'A total of 131 Mara students are supposed to further their studies in the United States in October. 'However, given the uncertainties now, we do not want to place any risk on our students (by sending them there),' he told reporters here yesterday. Asyraf Wajdi is in London as part of the delegation of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is here on a four-day working visit until Wednesday. He said the students, who were supposed to go to the United States this October, would be sent to top universities in other countries. 'Among the countries being considered are Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China,' he said. 'We are also considering sending them to local universities.' Asyraf Wajdi said counsellors had been assigned to discuss with the students on their prospective destination. 'The most important thing is that we don't want to demotivate them. 'The counsellors will guide them to renowned universities in other countries,' he added. He said Mara was studying the impact of the US policies on its 266 students currently in the United States and would make a decision once the study was completed. Asyraf Wajdi also said that Mara would work closely with Cambridge University for the benefit of its students and educators. He said he has held discussions with Cambridge representatives, relaying to them that 12 out of the 57 Mara junior science colleges (MRSM) had Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). 'The students' performance is very encouraging, with 147 of getting straight As in IGCSE subjects. 'They (Cambridge representatives) were excited when we shared these facts with them.' In turn, Asyraf Wajdi said Cambridge representatives had agreed to visit MRSM to give students an orientation on Cambridge. 'In that sense, successful students can be prepared early.' Asyraf Wajdi said Mara has also agreed to embark on a research collaboration with Cambridge and to provide co-funding in areas such as quantum technology and artificial intelligence. 'We will send our lecturers for five master's and PhD courses in Cambridge. 'The university will sponsor another five. 'Our ultimate aim is to increase the capacity and competency of our educators so that our students get the best education.' Mara had also agreed to conduct leadership courses that could produce professors and lecturers who were not only active in academics but in industries too, he said. 'The training module will be developed by Cambridge.' On another matter, Asyraf Wajdi said three universities in the United Kingdom had agreed to offer discounts of between 10-20% in tuition fees for Mara-sponsored students. The universities are Warwick, Birmingham and Edinburgh. 'Both Warwick and Birmingham universities have agreed to offer 20% discounts in tuition fees for Mara students while Edinburgh offered a discount of 10%,' he said. 'For example, the discount is about £6,000 per year at Warwick University. 'So for three years, this will amount to £18,000. 'This would mean a total of RM103,000 in savings for those three years,' he added. With the discounts offered, Asyraf Wajdi said Mara could look into the possibility of increasing student allowances to help ease their cost of living. 'I met with students in the Sheffield and Manchester universities. 'The feedback I received is that their cost of living has increased significantly,' he added.
Malaysiakini
21 hours ago
- Business
- Malaysiakini
Three UK universities offer tuition discount for Mara students
Three leading universities in the United Kingdom have agreed to offer tuition fee discounts of between 10 and 20 percent for Mara-sponsored students. Mara chairperson Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the discounts, secured through discussions between Mara and the universities' top management, could save more than RM100,000 per student annually...
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Mara to stop sending students to US this year
Mara chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki in London for talks with the University of Cambridge on Mara-Cambridge cooperation. (Facebook pic) LONDON : Mara will stop sending its scholarship students to the United States from this year following the introduction of new policies and guidelines by president Donald Trump. Mara chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said discussions have been held with students due to leave in October on studying in other countries. 'We will send them to continue their studies in similar fields in countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, and even Japan and China. The cost is also cheaper than studying in the US,' he said in a press conference here. Asyraf is in Britain to meet top management and prominent senior professors at the University of Cambridge to explore the potential of Mara-Cambridge cooperation. Asyraf said Mara had also held discussions with 266 sponsored students in the US for them to continue their studies in other countries in courses such as computer science, engineering and high technology such as robotics and artificial intelligence. The Trump administration recently ordered a halt of visa processing for all foreign students and is considering steps to screen new applicants based on their social media posts.
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
UK varsities offer 10-20% discounts for Mara students
Mara chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki meeting Mara-sponsored students in London. (Facebook pic) LONDON : Three British universities have offered tuition fee discounts of 10-20% for students sponsored by Mara, the agency's chairman, Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, said here. He said the discounts could amount to savings of more than RM100,000 per student per year. The discounts were offered by Warwick University and Birmingham University (20%) and the University of Edinburgh (10%). Asyraf said the Warwick discount of up to £6,000 a year would amount to RM100,000 for a typical three-year undergraduate course. He said there are currently 1,508 Mara-sponsored students pursuing their studies in the UK. Asyraf is in the UK for meetings with senior leadership and senior academics at the University of Cambridge, as well as several other universities. He said the Cambridge University Trust has expressed interest in collaborating with Mara through a co-funding arrangement for postgraduate research students at the master's and PhD levels. Cambridge has also agreed to send a delegation to Malaysia for discussions on a joint programme for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education at Mara junior science colleges.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Asyraf Wajdi: Three UK universities offer tuition discount for Mara students
LONDON: Three leading universities in the United Kingdom have agreed to offer tuition fee discounts of between 10 and 20 per cent to students sponsored by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), said its chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. He said the discounts, secured through discussions between Mara and the universities' top management, could help reduce the financial burden by more than RM100,000 per student annually. The three institutions are the University of Warwick and the University of Birmingham, both offering a 20 per cent discount, while the University of Edinburgh has agreed to a 10 per cent reduction. "To illustrate, Warwick is offering a discount of up to £6,000 a year. For a typical three-year undergraduate programme, that amounts to £18,000, or around RM110,000 in total, significantly lowering the overall cost," he said during a press conference today. Asyraf Wajdi is currently in the UK for strategic meetings with senior leadership and prominent academics at the University of Cambridge, as well as several other institutions. He said there are currently 1,508 Mara-sponsored students pursuing their studies in the UK. He added that the Cambridge University Trust has also expressed interest in collaborating with Mara through a co-funding arrangement for postgraduate research students at the Master's and PhD levels. "Insya-Allah, if all terms are finalised, Mara could save up to RM5 million through this initiative," he said. He described the partnership as part of Mara's strategic agenda to ensure that Malaysian students are globally competitive in academic and professional fields. Additionally, he said Cambridge University had agreed to send a delegation to Malaysia to engage with Maktab Rendah Sains Mara International General Certificate of Secondary Education (MRSM IGCSE) students. The initiative, he said, aligns with Mara's goal to establish a dedicated academic feeder pathway for MRSM students seeking admission into top global universities. Asyraf Wajdi also said that the collaboration would create opportunities for 9,987 Mara educators across vocational colleges, Mara universities and MRSMs to participate in knowledge exchange programmes. "These educators will be able to undertake joint research and pursue postgraduate studies in strategic fields at Cambridge. "These include renewable energy, artificial intelligence (AI), social sciences, quantum technology, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), entrepreneurial innovation, and other emerging disciplines that will shape the global economy of the future," he said.
