Australian Branch Campuses in Malaysia | Malaysia’s No.1 Higher Education Website

Have you thought about doing an Australian degree, but you don’t want to spend all of your time there or to cover the entire cost of living in Australia? Then consider studying in a branch campus or doing an Australian transfer programme! You can spend a portion of your time studying in Malaysia and transfer your credits to an Australian university. But what is the difference between Australian branch campuses in Malaysia and twinning or transfer programmes? What can you receive in one that you may not in the other?&nbsp;We at Afterschool.my have the answers to your questions. Whether you want to do a twinning programme or enrol in a branch campus here in Malaysia, we can help you understand the basics, the similarities and differences, and all that jazz.&nbsp;<h2>What are they?</h2><img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76971/5aec32f576a86.png" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">An Australian branch campus is a university in Australia that has established campuses in countries outside its own, in hopes of delivering the same quality of education—not limited to its syllabus and teaching methods—as received by students in Australia.There are currently three Australian branch campuses in Malaysia: Monash University in Selangor, and Swinburne University of Technology and Curtin University of Technology in Sarawak.An Australian twinning or transfer programme on the other hand is offered by a local private university that has formed a partnership with an Australian university, thereby allowing you to complete your degree in one country or both, depending on the chosen programme. At the end of your degree, you will be conferred a degree from that Australian university.There are several private institutions in Malaysia that offer twinning programmes, such as INTI International University and Colleges and HELP University.<hr><h2>What do they have in common?</h2>1. You will obtain an Australian degree by the end of it<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76971/5aec32f58fb6d.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">One common feature of Australian branch campuses and Australian transfer programmes is the degree that you will obtain upon completion. Since both branch campuses and twinning programmes are linked with an Australian university, the qualifications you receive at the end of your degree are recognised by the Australian university.2. You can transfer to Australia for a portion of your degree<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76971/5aec32f5af75a.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Both Australian branch campuses and Australian twinning programmes allow you to transfer to Australia for your studies. In Australian branch campuses, they offer exchange programmes where you can go to Australia for a semester or a year during your degree, as well as transfer programmes that allow you to complete your final year in Australia. Australian transfer programmes also work the same way. After studying in Malaysia for one or two years, you can complete the rest of your degree in Australia.3. Both are much more affordable than doing your entire degree in Australia<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76971/5aec32f5dd7c2.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">One of the reasons students choose to go to an Australian branch campus or do an Australian twinning programme is because it is considerably cheaper than going to Australian from the beginning of your degree. The total cost of studying in top universities in Australia can go up to RM300,000, while studying in an Australian branch campus or Australian transfer programme here costs less than RM100,000 for the whole degree!<hr><h2>What’s the difference?</h2>1. The institution in which you will be studying<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76971/5aec32f604938.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Australian branch campuses are extensions of their main campus in Australia; therefore, the branch campus is directly functioning under the Australian campus. The syllabuses are brought over directly from Australia, typically without any changes except for adding subjects pertaining to the Ministry of Higher Education. The faculty and staff are also commonly brought over from the Australian university, sometimes travelling back and forth between campuses. This is to keep to the aim of branch campuses in maintaining the same quality of their Australian education. In a way, you will be recognised as a student of the Australian university, and obtaining a place in the Australian campus for transfer programmes or postgraduate studies will be easier compared to applying for them as fresh students.Australian transfer programmes are typically conducted in local private universities that form partnerships with Australian universities. For example, HELP University offers BA (Hons) Information Technology 2+1 transfer programme in partnership with the University of Queensland. While you will be conferred a degree from the University of Queensland at the end of it, the first two years of your studies will be conducted in HELP University in Malaysia. The syllabus during your time in Malaysia has been determined by HELP University, and the faculty and staff are mostly local.2. The choice of Australian university that you will be transferring to<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76971/5aec32f61e687.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">One of the perks of studying in an Australian branch campus in Malaysia is that you will be able to transfer your credits to most other universities in Australia. As the syllabuses in your first and second year are brought over directly from the Australian university, it would be recognised by most universities in Australia. For example, if you are studying in Monash University Malaysia, you will be able to transfer to most other universities across Australia.An Australian twinning programme would entail you to choose the Australian university that you want to go to during your transfer right at the beginning of the programme. This is because the local private university has already formed a partnership with the Australian university, and thus you cannot opt to go to a different university when transferring to Australia. For example, if you are studying the BA (Hons) Information Technology 2+1 twinning programme with the University of Queensland in HELP University, you are bound to go to the University of Queensland when in Australia as that is your chosen university from the beginning of the programme.

Australian Branch Campuses vs. Australian Twinning Programmes

Does an overseas degree make you more employable? The ongoing attempt to find the answer to this million-dollar question has resulted in much uproar. Even with the backing of proper statistics, individuals from either side continue to be protective of their positions. ldquo;How dare you say a foreign graduate is better than me? rdquo; yells the local graduate. ldquo;How could you think a local graduate is more employable than me? rdquo; shoots back the graduate with an overseas degree. Who, then, is right? Today, we attempt to tackle the volatile topic and settle the matter, once and for all.<h2>A wholesome experience</h2><img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76976/5aefb1db8813b.jpg" class="fr-fic" fr-dii="">Studying in Australia can provide a wholesome experience for students as they get to explore a different educational environment, gain a world-class education, be exposed to a wide range of opportunities and different styles of teaching, and interact with people from different backgrounds. Students who go abroad are exposed to a ndash; and this is key ndash; different type of education. Again, not better, merely different. Students who go to Australia for their degree experience a different culture, different issues and have to adapt differently. But, does this difference translate to better opportunities or better pay when they return home?<h2>The perception of obtaining an international degree</h2><img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76976/5aefb1db9d50f.jpg" class="fr-fic" fr-dii="">According to QS Global Employer Survey 2011 carried out by university rankings extraordinaire Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), six out of 10 employers worldwide would give students with an overseas degree a slight edge. Most notably, German, Spanish and Swiss employers have a proclivity to pick graduates with an international experience. quot;I think this definitely gives me an edge and interesting stories and experiences to share ndash; giving me the upper hand in a pool of graduates I would otherwise be on par with quot;, says Emilie Ronald from the US, who obtained her bachelor #39;s degree in Paris and master #39;s in London. Steve Geinitz, a fellow American who pursued his PhD in Switzerland says, &nbsp;quot;Getting away from what you have always known and interacting with people from other parts of the world forces you to look at the world from someone else #39;s point of view. Not only does this help me communicate more effectively, it helps me to empathise more readily. quot;&nbsp;nbsp;<h2>Language competency</h2><img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76976/5aefb1dbbbfa7.jpg" class="fr-fic" fr-dii="">A common perception is that students studying abroad possess better English than students who study locally. Why, you ask. Well, simply because students are forced to converse in English when overseas, in line with the old adage lsquo;practice make perfect rsquo;. This, however, is rather short-sighted, seeing as the onus is firmly on the student to make an effort to converse and eventually improve his English. A student overseas could just as easily choose to hang out with fellow Malaysians and scarcely converse in English. nbsp;&nbsp;nbsp;<h2>Better work performance?</h2><img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76976/5aefb1dbcd0d7.jpg" class="fr-fic" fr-dii="">&nbsp;nbsp;Having said all that, a study conducted by Jobstreet states that overseas graduates earn approximately 12% more than local graduates in the private sector. According to the Malaysian Employers Federation rsquo;s executive director Shamsuddin Bardan, overseas graduates perform better at work as they generally demonstrate better communication skills, open-mindedness, adaptability and confidence.But what if you studied at the most esteemed university, received the best education and did an internship at the richest oil company, yet your skills are similar to those who didn #39;t accomplish all of these? In other words, we would like to stress that not all graduates from Harvard become a Zuckerberg. While the university has earned its streak of awards and rankings and produced highly successful graduates, what matters most in attaining success is your initiative to learn.nbsp; nbsp;<h2>No difference in hiring rate</h2><img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76976/5aefb1dbdfefa.jpg" class="fr-fic" fr-dii="">On the flip side, a study conducted by The Straits Times concluded that it makes no difference to employers whether a student has an overseas or local degree. In the study, three out of four companies in a pool of 214 showed no bias, rating both types of graduates as having similar levels of intelligence. A study done by Hoo et al came to the same conclusion, finding that employers generally hire both groups of graduates at the same rate. So then, with such contrasting conclusions drawn, what is the answer?nbsp; nbsp;The answer is remarkably simple, if one knows where to look. The crux of the matter lies not in where the graduate comes from but, rather, the graduate himself. The qualities cited in the studies that give overseas graduates an edge aren rsquo;t exclusive to them and can just as easily be learnt by a local graduate. Mastery of the English language, adaptability and confidence can all be picked up if one is proactive and strives to improve, whether he is studying locally or abroad. As time passes, the importance of your qualification will slowly but surely diminish and your work experience takes precedence. The answer, then, is that it all boils down to the student.

Today, we attempt to tackle the volatile topic and settle the matter, once and for all.

Overseas Degrees vs Local Degrees: Which is Better? 

Overseas Degrees vs. Local Degrees: Which One Is Better? 

Give any Malaysian student the chance to study abroad and they&rsquo;d take it, 99% of the time. Sure, there are statistics that state around 20,000 Malaysians go to Australia to pursue tertiary education annually. The numbers however, don&rsquo;t paint the full picture. There are tens of thousands more who would jump at the chance of being able to pursue an education in the Land Down Under, if only the total wasn&rsquo;t as exorbitant as it currently is. Branch campuses however, provide students with an Australian degree and education at a much more affordable rate, without ever having to leave Malaysia. Interested? Read on to learn more about Australian branch campuses in Malaysia.<h2>What is a Branch Campus?</h2><img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76974/5aec1269b1261.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A branch campus, in simple terms, is an extension of university on a different location. Think of the &ldquo;home university&rdquo; as the tree trunk itself. The branch retains all the qualities of the tree, and yet reaches out towards a different location. This metaphor aptly conveys what an Australian branch campus is&ndash; the syllabus and lecturers are often times brought over directly from Australia, and graduates are given the exact same education, as well as conferred the same degrees a student from the &ldquo;home&rdquo; institution would have been. All this, without ever leaving Malaysia.<h2>What Are the Advantages of a Branch Campus?<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76974/5aec126be704d.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></h2>A World-Class DegreeRemember, you&rsquo;re conferred exactly the same degree as someone who graduated from the &lsquo;home&rsquo; campus. This means that if you were to enrol in Monash University, for example, you&rsquo;d be conferred a Monash University degree. What&rsquo;s the significance of that, you ask? Well, Monash University were ranked 60th in the World University Rankings 2018, with Curtin University Malaysia and Swinburne University, Sarawak both ranking well for numerous subjects. A degree from any of these prestigious Australian universities would ensure a student is given a launchpad that could potentially see their future career take-off.An Overseas Education at a Cheaper PriceStudying in Australia, while undeniably enticing, is expensive. Tuition is only one part of the equation, as the cost of living &ndash; which includes accommodation, food, internet and more in Australia&ndash; prices many out of the option. A branch campus more or less eliminates the latter part of the equation, with only usual Malaysian prices to bear. While fees are a tad bit higher than other private universities (around RM60,000 &ndash; RM80,000/course), they&rsquo;re still a far cry from the prices quoted by universities in Australia.Experience Different CulturesMany students primarily choose to study in Australia as a means to expand their horizons, meet new people of different cultures and maybe bask in the experiences on different shores. These same students may assume that studying at a branch campus in Malaysia, even an Australian one, would deprive them of such an opportunity. The fact is however, students may still choose to study in Australia after enrolling in a branch campus. Many Australian branch campuses allow students to switch between campuses, some for a semester, others for longer. Not only does this allow a student to still experience Australia first-hand, it also means he can gain entry to an Australian university more straightforwardly since he is already a student of the branch campus in Malaysia.&nbsp;<h2>What are the Australian Branch Campuses in Malaysia?</h2>Monash University Malaysia<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76974/5aec126e18032.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The branch campus of Monash University in Malaysia offers the exact programs offered on the Australian campus with the same education quality.Location: The campus is at the heart of Kuala Lumpur and surrounded by some of the largest metropolitan areas in Malaysia.Quick Facts<ul><li>Monash University Malaysia was awarded 6-stars in SETARA 2017</li><li>Monash University is ranked #60 among universities worldwide (QS World University Rankings 2018)</li><li>Monash University has 4 Australian campuses, 1 Malaysian campus, and over 100 affiliates worldwide.</li></ul>&nbsp;Curtin University Sarawak<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76974/5aec127068bef.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">This institution is one of the top ranked institutions in Australia and has a branch campus in Malaysia that is famous for engineering and business education.Location: Curtin University Malaysia is located in Miri, Sarawak.Quick Facts<ul><li>Curtin University Sarawak has been awarded 5-stars (Excellent) by SETARA for four consecutive years.</li><li>Curtin University courses ranked well on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017 table, most notably securing #2 overall for Engineering (Mineral &amp; Mining).</li><li>Curtin University Sarawak boasts a 1,200-acre campus peppered with modern facilities</li></ul>Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus<img src="https://api.afterschool.com.my/storage/uploads/images/getadvice/76974/5aec12727b87b.jpg" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">As the name indicates, this highly acclaimed Australian institution is well known for their Science, Engineering, Technology, and Business. The quality of their education is recognized worldwide, and the university is engaged with the global world of Academia.Location: Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus is in Kuching, Sarawak.

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Australian Branch Campuses vs. Australian Twinning Programmes

Overseas Degrees vs. Local Degrees: Which One Is Better?

How You Can Obtain an Australian Degree from Right Here in Malaysia

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