A Study on the Rising Trends of Chinese Students' Motivations for Higher Education in Malaysia

Tianzhi Hou; Qiujia Xiang; Yuanyuan Liu

doi:10.70088/bh7yh631

Authors

Tianzhi Hou College of Foreign Languages, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China Author
Qiujia Xiang College of Foreign Languages, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China Author
Yuanyuan Liu School of Management, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70088/bh7yh631

Keywords:

malaysia, higher education, study abroad, student motivation, student profiling, decision making

Abstract

In 2013, Malaysia became a partner country of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), signing in-depth cooperation agreements to align the BRI with Malaysia's "Ekonomi MADANI" Framework. In 2025, Malaysia formally became a BRICS partner country, while concurrently serving as the ASEAN Chair and the Country Coordinator for China-ASEAN Relations. Against this backdrop, China-Malaysia cooperation and exchanges in higher education have continued to deepen. Currently, however, Chinese students have a wide range of study destination options, leading to the phenomenon of "multi-destination diversification" in their choices. As bilateral educational cooperation continues to deepen, Malaysia has emerged as an increasingly important educational investment option for Chinese students due to its cost advantages, English-medium academic environment, and geographical proximity. Nevertheless, the rapidly expanding Malaysia study abroad market faces challenges, including inconsistent information standards, unstable expectations regarding degree accreditation, and insufficient transparency in application procedures. These issues have resulted in a structural imbalance characterized by high consultation intention but low application conversion rates. This study has three primary objectives: to identify the core barriers hindering the transition from intention formation to application conversion among Chinese students considering studying in Malaysia; to analyze the demand structure of these prospective students; and to construct comprehensive student profiles. In doing so, this research seeks to explain why interest in studying in Malaysia arises, why hesitation persists, and why destination choices diverge during the implementation phase.

References

R. Rashid, M. Z. Faridi, Y. Naveed, W. Tahira, and K. Fatima, "Opportunities and Challenges of Educational Diplomacy under the Belt and Road Initiative: A Comprehensive Review," The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 1353–1365, 2025.

J. C. Marvin, P. A. Hernandez, V. M. Wang, C. Bahney, A. K. Loya, J. F. Drazan, and M. E. McGee‐Lawrence, "Fostering Interest in Musculoskeletal Research and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Careers: Impact of the ORS Open Door Program, 2020–2025," Journal of Orthopaedic Research®, vol. 44, no. 1, p. e70114, 2026.

E. S. Lee, "A theory of migration," Demography, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 47–57, 1966.

E. M. Karpova, "Examining International Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Theory of Planned Behavior Approach," Frontiers in Business Innovations and Management, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 07–15, 2024.

M. D. Badiuzzaman, "Unpacking the metrics: a critical analysis of the 2025 QS World University Rankings using Australian university data," in Frontiers in Education, vol. 10, p. 1619897, July 2025.

I. Ajzen, "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 179–211, 1991.

L. P. Symaco and C. D. Wan, "Development of higher education in Malaysia: Issues and challenges," in Education in Malaysia: Developments and challenges, pp. 53–66, 2017.

M. N. Lee, "Global trends, national policies and institutional responses: Restructuring higher education in Malaysia," Educational Research for Policy and Practice, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 31–46, 2004.

M. N. Lee, Restructuring higher education in Malaysia. Penang: School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2004.

M. N. Lee, "Higher education in Malaysia: National strategies and innovative practices," in *Mass higher education development in East Asia: Strategy, quality, and challenges*, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 105–118, 2015.

A. R. Mohd. Deni, Z. I. Zainal, and S. Malakolunthu, "Improving teaching in higher education in Malaysia: Issues and challenges," Journal of Further and Higher Education, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 656–673, 2014.

M. I. H. Reza, "Sustainability in higher education: Perspectives of Malaysian higher education system," Sage Open, vol. 6, no. 3, p. 2158244016665890, 2016.

F. Z. Azizan, "Blended learning in higher education institution in Malaysia," in Proceedings of regional conference on knowledge integration in ICT, vol. 10, pp. 454–466, June 2010.

A. R. A. Arokiasamy, "An Analysis of Globalization and Higher Education in Malaysia," Online Submission, 2011.

S. Y. Tham and A. J. Y. Kam, "Internationalising higher education: Comparing the challenges of different higher education institutions in Malaysia," Asia Pacific Journal of Education, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 353–367, 2008.

M. Sirat and C. D. Wan, "Higher education in Malaysia," in International handbook on education in Southeast Asia, Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, pp. 609–631, 2022.

S. Grapragasem, A. Krishnan, and A. N. Mansor, "Current Trends in Malaysian Higher Education and the Effect on Education Policy and Practice: An Overview," International Journal of Higher Education, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 85–93, 2014.