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A pathway to gradute from an Australian university through Malaysia

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Chatushka Alwis

There are several Malaysian Universities that have excellent twinning arrangements with good Australian universities for selected courses to be partially undertaken in Malaysia. Some students who wish to graduate from an Australian university select to do a few years of studies in Malaysia and then proceed to Australia. Selecting this pathway has many advantages – Malaysia is closer to Sri Lanka and thus cost of travel is less, enabling more frequent home breaks, the food is more Asian, the cost of living is less, there are savings on tuition fee and above all the initial years under more personal guidance provided by Malaysian universities makes it easy to get adapted to the Australian system of student centred education.

Chathushka Jayanatha Alwis selected this pathway to initially study in Malaysia for these reasons. He studied at Wycherley International School and passed the Cambridge A/L in the Mathematical stream in 2011. He was determined to be an Engineer and Robotics appealed to him the best. He knew that an engineer would do well if he has a good knowledge of computing as well. Accordingly his selection for an undergraduate course was a double degree – Robotics and Mechatronics (Hons) coupled with a degree in Computer Science and Software Engineering. He selected to study the first three years at Swinburne Sarawak campus in Malaysia because during the 4th year he can transfer to Swinburne University in Melbourne.

Chathushka enrolled in the Swinburne University’s Sarawak campus in February 2012. He is already in Sri Lanka for the mid year break enjoying with friends and� family .The University has lecturers from different cultural backgrounds and studying facilities at the campus are very good. There are 4 large computer laboratories of which 2 are open 24 hours a day. There is thus no need to queue up to get access to a computer to do assignments which need to be given on time. There are internet facilities within the campus to access all the university course material including those in the Melbourne campus. The library he said is excellent. He took very little time to adjust to the course delivery and the university life style.

He says that Sarawak does not have a large native population which gives the international students the ability to have a “fair say”. As he went he was living in the university accommodation but has moved out to a fully furnished room in a privately owned facility for the next semester. He pays around MYR 600 for his accommodation for a month. He mostly eats out though facilities are there to cook in his apartment. Of course he misses local food especially those cooked by his mother but he has no major complaints except that the food is bit oily and he needs to use the university gymnasium regularly to shed possible extra calories.

Though not thickly populated, Sarawak has a full range of entertainment required for relaxation and weekend outings. He has not been able to play cricket which is the sport he loves to play but keeps himself fit by playing soccer, basketball and badminton with friends and other university students as time permits.

Any regrets of choosing to study in Malaysia? No says Chatushka and he says that when he joins the Swinburne University in Melbourne in year 4 to complete his double degree which would take him a total of 5 years he will be fully geared to give out his best and do very well at the final examinations.

Edlocate officially represents Swinburne College and University in Melbourne and Swinburne Sarawak campus in Malaysia. The other Malaysian universities we represent are the Taylors and INTI. Edlocate can enrol students to Monash Sunway campus too in Malaysia.

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