These
three attributes - quality, affordability, and accessibility - are the main
reasons as to why Syrian student, Mansour Ayman, chose to pursue his
tertiary education at UTAR. The disarming 19-year-old let slipped his story
during a gathering for international students held at Student Pavilion 1 at
UTAR Perak Campus on 6 July 2013.
"Initially, I wanted to go to Europe but the visa application process, which
is lengthy and complicated for Syrian students, was a sheer turnoff for me.
I had not the patience, to wait for approximately one year or two, to obtain
my permit to study abroad," divulged Mansour, a student of the Foundation in
Science leading to the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Biomedical Engineering
Studies. He also added, "I began to seek out countries with friendlier
policies towards Syria, and came across Malaysia as the most cost-effective
option with uncompromised quality in education. I wanted to take up
Biomedical Engineering, and UTAR became my first choice after reading good
reviews about it on the internet."
Japanese student, Miyazaki Yuuya, also echoed Mansour's sentiments. Miyazaki
was a student at the American University of Japan, majoring in Liberal Arts,
until he bumped into education opportunities in Malaysia through a fair
organised by his then alma mater. He recollected, "I was approached by an
officer from UTAR, one of the exhibitors, who provided me with brochures of
UTAR programmes." A tempted Miyazaki, who has always dreamt of living
abroad, decided to terminate his studies in Japan and instead, pursued the
Foundation in Arts at UTAR. "I want to broaden my horizon and improve on my
English language proficiency, and Malaysia offers a cheaper alternative to
most English-speaking regions," added Miyazaki, now a third-year student of
the Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) at UTAR.
The
spirit of adventure evinced by Miyazaki was also evident in Tam Man Wai, a
first-year student of the Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Journalism from
the vibrant metropolitan capital, Hong Kong. "My uncle is living and working
in Kuala Lumpur, and I was in Malaysia for holidays before making up my mind
to enrol in UTAR," initiated Tam, who added that the scrumptious cuisine and
hospitality of Malaysians have endeared her to this culturally-diverse
country. For those who have prejudicial view of journalism as a
less-than-stellar job, he or she might want to give that thought a
re-contemplation after hearing from Tam the prospect of journalist in Hong
Kong. Having lived in the celebrity-frenzied nation, Tam witnessed a surge
in demand for professionally trained journalists, whose prestige equal that
of a medical doctor.
The
gathering, which was organised by UTAR Department of International Student
Services to foster greater ties among international students from all the
four UTAR Campuses, namely, Perak, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur and Sungai Long,
concluded with a photo-taking session with UTAR Vice President for Student
Development and Alumni Relations Associate Professor Dr Teh Chee Seng and a
tour around UTAR Perak Campus for the participants. In its fervent thrust
for academic internationalisation, UTAR has managed to attract students from
countries as diverse as China, Comoras, Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq, Japan,
Mauritius, Myanmar, Nigeria, Palestine, Singapore, Somalia, South Sudan,
Tanzania, the United States of America and Yemen.
Smiles
of Friendship: International students sharing a light moment at Student
Pavilion 1
Hands
Up, Everybody: The international students posing for a group photo with
(second row, sixth from right) Dr Teh
All
Readied: International students on board of UTAR bus prior to the campus
tour
Mansour Ayman (left) with some of his newfound friends during the campus
tour
What a
Blissful Day: International students posing at the exterior of Dewan Tun Dr
Ling Liong Sik
Wholly owned by UTAR Education Foundation (200201010564(578227-M)) LEGAL STATEMENT TERM OF USAGE PRIVACY NOTICE