MALAYSIA: Clamp-down on private universities

Malaysia's higher education ministry is amending the Private Institutions of Higher Learning Act to allow for sterner action, including higher fines, against private universities for various offences, reports the official agency Bernama.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the amendments were expected to be presented in parliament next year. He said appropriate action would be taken against private institutions should they be found to administer examinations to foreign students who did not attend classes. Universities would "also be prohibited from taking in foreign students for the subsequent intake", said the minister, when wrapping up a debate on the Supply Bill 2012 relating to the ministry.

He said the home ministry had already retracted approvals for foreign student intakes from six private institutions so far this year. "Among the reasons for the retraction is failure to effectively manage international students," said Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He said private universities with foreign student intake approval from the ministry were required to issue quarterly reports on foreign students, which included attendance.
Full report on the Bernama site