He added that this makes them on par, if not better, than other foreign counterparts. At present, quite a number of students from the Kingdom are studying in Malaysia's various universities.
“There are more than 2,000 students from the Kingdom who enroll in various universities in Malaysia annually,” said Azam Shuib, Dubai-based regional director of the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education for Middle East and North Africa. He graced the opening day of the exhibition on Tuesday.
He said these students are of different nationalities and had expressed satisfaction with studying in Malaysia. “They include Saudis, Sudanese, Yemenis, among other nationals, who have adjusted to the Malaysian way of life,” he said.
In an earlier interview, Al-Saggaf told Arab News at present, there are some 3,000 Saudi students taking up various courses in Malaysia under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program.
Some of these students are pursuing graduate studies for their doctoral and Master's degrees, although there are also those taking up short courses like English.
Azam added the students from the Kingdom are in addition to some 90,000 students from 150 countries studying in Malaysia's 20 public and 40 private universities, adding that they're doing well based on feedback that his ministry receives.
“In this connection, we would like to invite the Saudi youth as well as other students of various nationalities to come to Malaysia and visit the universities of their choice. In doing so, they would also be able to find out if they like the country and could be integrated into mainstream society,” Azam said.
If they think they could be, he added, it is likely that they will stay and study there.
Asked what makes studying in Malaysia preferable in addition to the high quality of education, Azam said that studying in his country is much cheaper compared to other countries.
“The universities charge low tuition fees. This will be a great advantage not only to them but to their parents as well as they have to send them money on a regular basis while they are studying,” he said. “Moreover, the cost of living is affordable and can be as low as $3,750 per year.”
He added there are other benefits which foreign students enjoy, such as the wide use of the English language, “which makes living and studying easy for students who are proficient in English while at the same time creating an environment for those who want to pick up the language.”
He added that life in his country comprises a multicultural society where Malaysians of different races and religions live in peace and tolerance with each other.
Besides, he said, immigration procedures are hassle-free which enables foreign students to have easy entry into Malaysian higher educational institutions.
Foreign students are also allowed to work part-time for a maximum of 20 hours per week during school vacations or holidays of more than seven days while studying full-time in Malaysia, subject to immigration requirements.
“Malaysia is economically sound and safe. It has a stable government and low serious crime rate. It's also geographically safe environment because it is situated in a zone free from most natural disasters,” he said.
In addition, he said, it is a food paradise that has a huge variety of cuisines available including vegetarian, halal, ethnic and western. Moreover, it has an excellent transportation system that allows for easy mobility and a huge variety of interesting places to visit for relaxation.
