Kuala lumpur: The presence of approximately 167,000 international students in Malaysia is contributing a significant RM20 billion annually to the national economy through their expenditures on tuition and living costs, according to Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) chief executive officer Novie Tajuddin.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, a study by EMGS reveals that each international student in Malaysia spends an average of RM10,000 monthly during their stay. "With 167,000 international students currently in Malaysia, this has an impact of about RM20 billion annually on the national economy. For example, if they study at universities in Terengganu such as Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), the surrounding communities also benefit from the positive social and economic impact," Novie explained.

Novie made these remarks at the Malaysian Cultural Discovery Community Immersion programme held at Pantai Teluk Ketapang. He elaborated that the economic benefits extend beyond higher education institutions, stimulating local businesses like food and services.

Malaysia has emerged as one of the world's 14 leading destinations for higher education, attracting international students who previously favored countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada. "This shows that we have become a competitor in global higher education," Novie stated.

Over the past three years, the number of international students in Malaysia has increased by about 23 percent, reflecting growing interest from foreign students. Malaysia aims to further enhance these numbers, targeting 500,000 international students by 2035 as per the 10-year Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint. "We currently have 167,000 international students. Insya-Allah, we are undertaking many initiatives to increase the number, and this is just one of them," Novie noted.

Currently, the primary contributors of international students to Malaysia are China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Most of these students are pursuing postgraduate studies across both public and private higher education institutions.