Writer: Xiang Peixin, Kong Linghao
Editor: Qistina Allyssa, JinYuan
(Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Faculty Sains Social and Kemanusiaan. Photo by Kong Linghao.)
BANGI，19 Nov - We witnessed a new academic boom as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia‘s opening day approached. Unlike the past, this year has attracted an increasing number of Chinese students who are choosing to pursue their undergraduate studies at UKM. This significant growth is notable, especially among media students at Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanity (FSSK), where the number of new students has increased by more than 100 compared to previous years. We spoke to some of the freshmen and professors to get a better understanding of this phenomenon.
The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is a public comprehensive university located in the new town of Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, one of the country's five national research universities and one of the most prestigious universities in Southeast Asia.
Ma Jingyi, a new student from media communication said, "I chose to come to UKM because of my relatively weak English language skills, but UKM has given me the opportunity to come to UKM for further study through language classes."
A student from FSSK , Yao Shenwen, said, "Studying in Malaysia costs less compared to other countries in Europe and the US, and the academic program is a three-year education, which saves a lot of time. Malaysia and UKM is a more cost-effective option and at the same time gives students the opportunity to pursue higher education."
(Universiti Kembangsaan Malaysia. Photo by Kong Linghao.)
These interviews have shown reasons why students have chosen Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as their ideal university, and whether it has reached their expectations.
The students interviewed were largely satisfied with the academic environment at UKM, which met their expectations. In particular, Ma Jingyi mentioned, "I was exposed to different modes of thinking. In particular, the professors in the Humanities and Social Sciences program led me to understand Islamic culture in a holistic way. Because there is less education about religion in China, it gave me a very comprehensive understanding of religion. I also found the lectures very interesting because of the professors' own views on religion."
However, in terms of cultural adaptation, most of the new students basically experienced culture shock. Ma Jingyi said, "I didn't know about the Islamic culture before, for example, the local need to recite sutras, including some taboos of the Islamic culture, not to have physical contact, and not to shake hands in meetings. I need to learn more about it through social media."
Meanwhile, Lin Sijin, an economics student from the Faculty of Economics and Management, said, "It is important to watch videos to learn about the local culture and understand it. I learned some Malay language,and understood the local customs such as how to dress and eat in a standardized way."
Many respondents included that the appearance of the school could be enhanced to provide a better teaching and learning environment for the students.
Mohaini binti Munir, an alumni who graduated from Faculty Economy & Business Management addresses that，" I am glad that my university and my country are recognized by more and more Chinese students. The education at UKM has a great impact on me, and I also hope that Chinese students can gain more knowledge at UKM. "
The increase in the number of new students at UKM is exciting not only does it represents the spread of international education in Malaysia, but also showcases the impact of the increasing number of internationalized talents. . In response to this, we are also focusing on improving the standard of education, and UKM and our students should grow together to ensure that each student receives a more comprehensive educational support. We hope that their students will continue to innovate in the academic field and provide more room for their overall development.
