Malaysia has plans to attract 100,000 foreign students by the year 2010, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

At present, he said, there were 32,000 foreigners studying in public and private universities in the country with another 8,000 in local secondary and primary schools.

Bernama quoted him as noting that education was no longer a public good to be provided by the government but has become an industry.

He said his explains the robust growth of private institutes of higher learning all over the world offering countless choices in the form of education, type of institution, field of study and location.

"These provide challenges not only for the institutions concerned but also for countries that aspire to be leading players in education," he said in a speech at the opening of the new University of Nottingham Malaysia campus in Semenyih, near Putrajaya yesterday..

His speech was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Abdullah said Malaysia recognised the impact and importance of internationalisation of education and the crucial role played by the private sector in delivering higher education services.

Emphasis on quality

But to attract more foreign students, he said Malaysia must be able to provide a solid foundation in terms of national education policies at all levels.

"I strongly believe that the emphasis on quality will be key in ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of the higher education sector in Malaysia."

At the same time, he said the country must keep abreast of the latest technological developments and be flexible in its approach toward higher education in order to respond quickly to ongoing changes.

Abdullah said the Higher Education Ministry was reviewing a report submitted by an independent committee on the direction of higher education in Malaysia.

He expected a "more defined and focused set of policies" for the higher education sector in Malaysia can implemented based on the report.