Budget 2025: Advancing Malaysia’s Higher Education And Research

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- As anticipation builds for the national Budget 2025, which will be tabled in Parliament on Oct 18, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia has presented its vision, prioritising an ambitious agenda for advancing higher education, research, and innovation in the nation.

Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi, Provost and Chief Executive Officer of Heriot-Watt University Malaysia said that while Budget 2024’s allocation of RM16.3 billion for higher education is a commendable increase from the previous year’s RM15.3 billion, there remains potential for further improvement given the current global economic landscape.

Mushtak, who is also the Chairman of the Vice Chancellors Council for Private Universities (VCCPU), noted that the Budget 2025 must reflect a substantial commitment to higher education, supporting Malaysia’s transition to a high-income economy through sustainable and digital development.

“Such investment creates a positive cycle of economic benefits by enhancing human capital, driving productivity and competitiveness, attracting foreign investments, supporting economic diversification, and promoting social equity, collectively contributing to robust and sustainable growth in Malaysia’s Gross Domestic Product GDP).

“Also, a well-funded higher education system is essential to achieving the nation’s goal of establishing Malaysia as a globally recognised educational hub. This will help us attract more international students and compete effectively on the global stage,” he said in a statement today.

Furthermore, Mushtak proposed several strategic imperatives to strengthen the country’s higher education landscape.

He said incentives should be provided to both public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) to attract and enrol more international students which would solidify Malaysia’s position as a global tertiary education hub and nurture globally competitive, highly skilled individuals and would also have a positive impact on the country’s GDP.

Other strategies highlighted were the government’s allocation of funding for research and innovation, as both were crucial to nation-building and noted that with them, the country would be able to make significant advancements that have improved lives and contributed to the betterment of society.

“Public and private HEIs in Malaysia stand to gain significantly from funding designated for research and blue-sky thinking. This investment will foster fresh ideas and creativity, driving the country’s development forward,” he said.

Mushtak emphasised that Budget 2025 should also focus on the greater use of technology in education to help prepare Malaysian students for a technology-driven future.

The professor said that initiative would reduce the burden on lecturers, freeing them to focus their efforts on several other vital areas, such as connecting better with their students, managing assessments more efficiently, and offering a more personalised learning experience.

“Funds may be allocated to enhance HEIs in Malaysia to make education more inclusive and to nurture the neurodiverse population. This will ensure that students with disabilities will have equal opportunities for socialisation and access to academic progress equal to their neurotypical peers,” he said.

Additionally, Mushtak said it is important to establish a unified approach and benchmarks for the quality of education offered, along with providing incentives to encourage universities to secure global rankings that could enhance the employability of graduates on the international stage and improve the country’s attractiveness as a destination for international students.

He also recommended providing incentives to HEIs to encourage the adoption of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) among their students as it could drive economic growth through technological advancements and lead to significant economic benefits.

“Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming the global economy in complex ways. The Malaysian government must continue to develop a comprehensive strategy to leverage AI fully. This strategy may include initiatives that support innovation, invest in AI infrastructure, and encourage collaboration between the government, private sector, and academia.

“While the government has made significant progress, it has the opportunity to launch more initiatives that not only develop and sustain a robust talent pool but also strengthen the knowledge economy. By doing so, it can drive the nation forward through job creation and cultivate leaders equipped to tackle future challenges and excel in an increasingly competitive marketplace,” he said.

Mushtak believes that those investments in these strategic domains will empower HEIs in Malaysia and leave a positive imprint on Malaysia’s higher education landscape, economic prosperity, and societal well-being.

Heriot-Watt University is a leading technological and business university ranked in the top 10 for Research Impact in the United Kingdom. It has campuses in Scotland, Malaysia, and Dubai, offering students a truly global learning experience.

-- BERNAMA

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