INTERNATIONAL students undergo stringent preliminary screening before they could pursue higher education in Malaysia.

Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh said the ministry through its Education Malaysia Global Service (EMGS) collaborated with the immigration department and police to conduct various stages of academic and security screenings.

Since the introduction of the preliminary screening, he said there had been fewer dubious applications and less crime committed by international students.

“If they are not qualified or are on Interpol’s list, they cannot enter our universities,” he told reporters after completing the 5k MQA Run, in conjunction with Malaysian Qualifications Agency’s 10th anniversary in Cyberjaya today.

Idris said the ministry filtered the students based on the National Blue Ocean Strategy, while the police and immigration department had their own pool of information and methods.

Meanwhile, he said MQA was awarded the Malaysian Standards ISO 37001:2016 certification for anti-bribery management system because it practised integrity and implemented every programme and service in a transparent manner.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Dr Mary Yap Kain Ching, ministry secretary-general Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur, MQA chairman Prof Emeritus Abu Hassan Othman and EMGS chief executive officer Prof Dr Rujhan Mustafar also took part in the 5km run. – Bernama, November 11, 2017.