Fadil Ruhomutally: "La Malaisie est désormais une alternative à l’Angleterre pour les études tertiaires"

vendredi 25 mai 2012

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Fadil Ruhomutally: "La Malaisie est désormais une alternative à l’Angleterre pour les études tertiaires"

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Propos recueillis par Iqbal Kalla | 30/01/2011

Avec la hausse des coûts pour les études universitaires en Grande-Bretagne, les futurs étudiants mauriciens commencent à s’intéresser à des alternatives. Dont la Malaisie. Fadil Ruhomutally, le directeur de Malaysia Education Ltd, donne des détails sur les possibilités qu’offre ce pays.

Estimez-vous qu’avec ses hausses récentes des frais universitaires, le Royaume uni se dirige vers un appauvrissement de ses intelligences ?

La hausse des frais universitaires au Royaume uni aura un impact considérable sur le secteur de l’éducation tertiaire dans ce pays, avec non seulement des effets néfastes par rapport à la baisse du nombre d’étudiants en mesure d’y poursuivre leurs études universitaires, mais aussi aux meilleures intelligences du monde entier.

Aujourd’hui, les meilleurs étudiants mauriciens et d’autres pays qui ne peuvent se payer des études au Royaume uni choisissent d’autres destinations plus abordables financièrement. La Malaisie se pose désormais en alternative à l’Angleterre pour les études tertiaires.

C’est pourquoi des étudiants – locaux et étrangers – d’universités malaisiennes remportent des compétitions locales, régionales et internationales dans divers secteurs.

La Malaisie est devenue l’une des destinations préférées parce que les étudiants ont le choix de s’épanouir dans un campus localisé à l’étranger d’une université britannique, avec des programmes d’études identiques, d’un niveau comparable mais coûtant 50% de moins qu’au Royaume uni.
Il y a aussi une trentaine d’universités britanniques qui proposent leurs programmes d’études à travers les universités malaisiennes, pour 70% moins cher qu’au Royaume uni. Tout aussi important à savoir : le diplôme est le même que celui livré en Grande-Bretagne.

Pensez-vous que les universités asiatiques pourraient se prévaloir éventuellement du glamour des universités européennes et américaines ?

Je peux vous dire que les universités malaisiennes que je connais prennent cette voie. Depuis cinq ans, il y a eu un investissement massif dans le secteur de l’éducation tertiaire en Malaisie. Cela concerne les facilités de niveau international et les infrastructures.

En quoi un jeune mauricien serait-il attiré par une formation en Malaisie ?

Les raisons d’opter pour la Malaisie sont multiples. Outre le fait que les universités malaisiennes offrent des programmes reconnus au plan international avec des facilités modernes, le coût de la vie dans ce pays est moins élevé que dans d’autres destinations pour des études, dont l’Australie, l’Angleterre, les Etats-Unis ou encore Singapour. Le gouvernement malaisien et les partenaires universitaires étrangers veulent s’assurer d’un niveau élevé.

Qu’en est-il du cadre de vie ?

Ce qui frappe dans ce pays multiculturel, c’est l’ouverture vers les autres. En outre, la vie universitaire est très attirante car cosmopolite avec des étudiants venant de différentes parties du monde. La Malaisie est aussi politiquement très stable.

En termes de bourses et de frais, la Malaisie est-elle en situation d’attirer les Mauriciens ?

Il y a actuellement quelque 400 étudiants mauriciens en Malaisie. Les coûts des cours varient selon le domaine. A titre d’exemple, les frais pour des études en ingénierie à l’université britannique de Nottingham atteignent quelque Rs 700 000 par an, contre Rs 335 000 à la University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus et Rs 150 000 par an pour un diplôme britannique obtenu dans une université en Malaisie.
Pour vivre convenablement en Malaisie, Rs 12 000 à Rs 14 000 par mois suffisent largement.

Dans le passé, les universités malaisiennes n’accordaient pas de bourses aux Mauriciens. Certaines d’entre elles ont pu être convaincues depuis et aujourd’hui la plupart accordant des bourses d’études.

Ainsi, en 2010, une vingtaine d’étudiants mauriciens – la plupart avec des résultats AAA ou AAB pour la Higher School Certificate - ont obtenu des bourses partielles, de 10% à 50%. Nous avons pu négocier, cette année, avec certaines universités pour l’obtention de bourses complètes. Les éventuels bénéficiaires doivent obtenir d’excellents résultats en HSC.

Commentaires

Par:-christian serges

Rs 335000 font combien d'euro?

Par:-Supermomo

So what I understand is that Reality acknowledges that there various factors and that when all factors are equal, then the Uni becomes weighty in the balance. Well tha's really a last case scenario to which you are referring. What is important for our country is to enable more and more students to have access to quality tertiary education. Malaysian Unis offer a very good alternative. We should stop believing that employers will favour students from European Unis. A student from a Malaysian Uni, or a UK Uni or the UOM all have equal opportunities on the job market. It is dangerous and very unfair to make people think that you need a UK degree to succeed in your career. Last thing, young Mauritian graduates should understand that a degree will not automatically bring you high salary ..... patience et perseverance sont les maitres mots. Every young graduate thinks that he has the required skills .... but they should realise that acquisition of experience is a long process. Malaysian Unis are very well rated and it would be a pity to keep this Mauritian mentality of always looking towards "Europe". This mentality is unique to our country but I must say that attitudes are changing among the common people and that employers definitely do not hold such "prejugés".

Par:-Reality

Supermomo, your comments are obvious. But you are making as if all people with 3E at A level goes to EU/Canada/US and all those with 3A goes to Malaysia. Of course the degree is only one step toward your career. I would not think that your company is big and reputed enough to attract good graduates from top universities. This is why many of those elites will not apply to your company and therefore, I do not think that you have much choice but to select only among those who applied to your company, and personally, I would not think that the majority will be elites. Correct me if I am wrong. Of course if you have some even from Harvard but with a poor personality and without the ability to be expressive you will not recruit him/her but rather recruit someone from an average university but who has a good personality and is very dynamic. But the problem is there are too many good candidates to chose from these days, so of course you will chose the best and if the university is a distinguishing factor, you will take that into account. I can say that the standard of education at UOM is as high as good European universities, but at the end of the day you have potentially excellent candidates that the university where you earn the degree makes a difference if you have all other required qualities!

Par:-Supermomo

Well, I do not think that the job market relies that much on your Uni. Anyway it is my opinion. Personally when I recruit, this is not the determining factor. I will never give any important position to a fresh recruit who has C's, D's and E's at HSC even if he earned his degree from a top British Uni. This is why I say the Uni is not the determining factor ..... I have personally recruited students without Uni degrees but with very good HSC results and these people perform very well, much better than many of those with degrees. This is reality .... the Uni degree is no measure of how your recruit is going to perform. I used to think like "reality" ... that Uni Agents are just trying to make money. i had a talk with Fadil last year and the guy was "caré caré" with me... He told me that yes, this is a business, that he is trying to promote Malaysian Unis, but at the same time you should look at the level of service you are getting. There are a lot of competitors and there must be some reason why many parents choose Malaysia Education. And I can tell you, from having met with some parents during the exhibitions that they are very satisfied and thankful to the help Fadil provided to their children studying in Malaysia. Same cannot be said of all competitors. Malaysian Unis have very good standards and it is absolutely false to say that people should absolutely have a UK degree to have a good job/good salary. Its not on the Uni that an employer evaluates a person, but on the PERFORMANCE of that person. And a UK Uni does not guarantee better performance than a Malaysian Uni. I still forcefully claim that Malaysian Unis are valid and viable options to Mauritian students.

Par:-Reality

I agree with Ashley. The University where you earned your degree does make difference in this competitive job market. The number of graduates have increased dramatically that companies need to start looking for distinguishing criteria to recruit candidate. While some companies, do recruit graduates from Universities at the lower rank in the league table, it is in many cases graduates who have earned their degrees from internationally reputed Universities from Europe, Canada, US, and Australia make it at the top most position, though I need to point out that this is not always the case. Take a simple example. Consider the number of lecturers at the University of Mauritius. While some of them have degrees from Mauritius and other developing nations, most of them are graduates of reputed universities around the world, or at least from those universities based in developed and industrialised nations. Why do you think the management of UOM does not recruit graduates from UOM itself or UTM in many instances. This is the practice in all companies and the institution one graduate from does make a difference in determining the level of internationalization of the degree. Saying this, those who have the opportunities of studying abroad in UK should not comprise on this unless parents do not have the financial means to do so, Malaysia is an option. It is not a question of getting a degree only, the 'where' of the degree matters. Had there been a lack of graduate in the Mauritian job market, the situation would have been different, but this is not the case, so graduates/potential graduates should distinguish themselves! Let's not forget that Fadil Ruhomutally is the one who is going to benefit if more students study in Malaysia, so his view is not entirely objective!

Par:-Supermomo

Malaysia is less expensive than UK. But all depends on what type of lifestyle you are used to. In reply to Ashley, I would like to point out that the purpose of undertaking higher studies is to earn better and more precisely to be able to live a decent, comfortable life. But this does not mean that you will live like a prince or like a princess. There are students from UK (top universities) who are earning less than those from Malaysian universities. Salary is not automatically linked to the Uni you undertake your studies. People should not expect that once they obtain their degree they will be Governor of the BOM. I always advise fresh recruits to "pese néné boire de lhuile" during the first few years of employment. People should be reasonable in life ...... not everyone will be Prime Minister, CEO of Barclays or whatever.... but teh potential exists to earn a decent life. Malaysian Unis do represent a valid and serious alternative to UK Unis for serious and hard working students.

Par:-Professor from UK

Mauritius should be considered as a hub for education. We have the resources why not team up with UK universities. Of course there will be some robust quality system in place. I am sure a lot of prospective students will benefit from this joint partnership.

Par:-RRR

The fact that UK degrees can be obtained on a Malaysian campus is real, just like we have Curtin university and others offering courses in Mauritius, at the Charles Telfair or other places, like the Vacoas campus. I would however like to state that the costs in Malaysia is as expensive as in the Uk. Pounds Sterling rate keeps on fluctuating and Mauritian rupees does not suffice. For those who know, and who have experienced, they will agree with me , that the cost stated by Fadil goes twice the initial proposed cost for only year 1. Then if the student has to go through 3 to 4 years for the ultimate completion of the chosen study, it reaches 1.5 or more million Mauritian rupees. The best option in my opinion is either to study directly in the Uk, since the student is allowed to work and study at the same time. Or to study via distance learning or Mauritian campuses offering UK and other international degrees, here, for cost purposes. It is an aberration to note that none of the Mauritian universities' degrees have got world recognition. Loss of time, money and hope. We should regulate our university's own recognition on a world-wide basis so that studying in our mother-land becomes worthy.

Par:-Ashley

Malaysia may be just another choice for tertiary studies not an alternative to replace UK/EU/US higher education. With a Malaysian acquired degree you cannot earn as much as a UK graduate would earn in Europe as someone rightly said (can't see his message anymore today!) The reality is when you the on the job market and start earning, you'll realise whether it was worth investing in a Malaysian degree or UK degree! I'll quote a simple example - Most Investment Banks and multinationals in London city that attract crème de la crème graduates will only recruit top 15 universities across the world no matter whether you are gold medalist from another university. There are lots of other large organisations that pay good money and that most of us would aspire working for, only recruit students from UK/EU/US universities. Whilst I'm not saying Malaysian universities do not offer decent degrees. The only point I'm trying to make is what you invest is what you will get in return and one also needs to consider one's future aspirations, situation of the job market and earning potential which is maybe the most important! Bottom line, you would not want to see yourself earning 300USD whilst your friend doing same job earning 3000USD.

Par:-Mr X

The fees of today for local nationals of the UK have now matched what the international student fees (For scientific/engineering) were in 1996 !!! This of course doesn't include the living expenses.

Par:-Tom cruise

This is excellent News. May be our Minister of Education should take an interest to promote and facilitate this option.

Par:-Supermomo

Je conseille vivement aux étudiants mauriciens de considérer la Malaisie comme choix pour leurs études tertiaires. Tous les facteurs y sont réunis pour assurer le meilleur épanouissement possible que ce soit sur le plan académique, social ou culturel. J'ai plusieurs fois visité les education exhibition organisés par Malaysia Education..... je recommande vivement aux étudiants mauriciens de faire de même. Les représentants de plusieurs universités malaysiennes y sont présents pour vous conseiller sur toutes les facettes que comportent les études. Il y a aussi le facteur "monitoring" qu'offre Malaysia Education. Malaysia Education vous offre une assistance tout au long de vos études, que ce soit au niveau du logement ou au niveau des procédures administratives. Franchement la qualité de service surpasse de loin bon nombre d'entreprises qui opèrent dans le secteur. Tout comme moi, beaucoup de parents ont à coeur l'avenir de leurs enfants....je pense qu'actuellement la Malaisie offre le meilleur rapport qualité/prix.