{
  "id": 2738448,
  "title": "167,000 international students contribute RM20bil annually to Malaysia's economy – EMGS",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/167-000-international-students-contribute-rm20bil-annually-to",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-23T06:18:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/business/economy/2026/08/1517124/167000-international-students-contribute-rm20bil-annually"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA NERUS: International students currently contribute approximately RM20 billion to Malaysia's economy annually, according to Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) CEO Novie Tajuddin. With about 167,000 international students in the country, each student spends an average of RM10,000 a month on tuition fees and living expenses. This spending impact extends to surrounding communities, fostering positive social and economic growth, Tajuddin noted during a Malaysian Cultural Discovery Community Immersion programme. Beyond higher education, international students stimulate local economic activities, particularly in food and service businesses. Malaysia is now recognized as one of the world's 14 leading higher education destinations, surpassing the previous top choices of the UK, US, Australia, and Canada. The number of international students has grown by 23% over the past three years, and Malaysia aims to increase this number to 500,000 by 2035 as part of the 10-year Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint. Currently, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan are the main contributors of international students to Malaysia. The majority of these students are postgraduate, with the total figure encompassing both public and private higher education institution enrolments.",
  "summary": "KUALA NERUS: The presence of about 167,000 international students in Malaysia currently contributes around RM20 billion annually to the country’s economy through spending on tuition fees and living expenses, said Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) chief executive officer (CEO) Novie Tajuddin.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "General : 167,000 International Students Contribute RM20 Billion Annually To Malaysia’s Economy - EMGS",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/general-167-000-international-students-contribute-rm20-billion",
        "published": "2026-08-23T02:55:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "EMGS: International students generate RM20b a year for Malaysia’s economy, each contributing an estimated RM10,000 monthly",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/emgs-international-students-generate-rm20b-a-year-for-malaysias",
        "published": "2026-08-23T04:24:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}