The science, technology and innovation (STI) sector is an economic sector the Malaysian government is keen to develop in preparation for the country’s journey to become a high income nation. The challenge, however, is that the number students enrolled in science, technology and innovation is on a decline and if left unchecked, this would lead to a shortage of such expertise in the future.
The Malaysian Science Outlook, a strategic document aiming to provide a review on the key trends and develop the country’s STI sector, analysed the nation’s talent pool and indicators show a ‘worrying trend that the nation is lagging in developing, harnessing, intensifying and retaining STI Talent at a rate that is required to support our national aspirations and initiatives’.
The document pointed out that Malaysia will need at least a million talents in the sector’s workforce by the year 2020, based on a 6 per cent projected annual economic growth and the expected emergence of technology-driven sectors. Half of this number is expected to have at least an undergraduate degree or diploma while 20,000 are expected to be in research and development. However, even if Malaysia achieves this number, the nation will still be under the average of having 30 per cent STI workers in the total workforce, as what many advanced nations have.
As a result, the Malaysian government is aggressively encouraging the uptake of science, technology and innovation in education, especially in the areas of emerging technologies. The challenge, however, is to convince prospective students that the STI sector will provide attractive career prospects and development opportunities. The declining interest in the subject is generally attributed to the low levels of awareness in the sector and thus, initiatives are slowly being implemented to generate students interest in the STI sector.
Commentary by Jennifer Wan, British Council Malaysia
While the uptake on science and technology education has seen a decline domestically, the number of Malaysian students completing a science, engineering and technology qualification in the UK has been slowly increasing over the past three years. According to HESA, courses like artificial intelligence, software engineering and computer science have seen increases in student numbers between 2013 – 2015.
The opportunity for UK institutions in student recruitment looks positive in the areas of emerging technologies. Rather than the traditional science and technology subjects – where demand is saturated – UK institutions should start diversifying into courses which will prepare students for the 4th Industrial Revolution, another buzzword which is constantly in the Malaysian media.
British Council Malaysia will be organising a science, technology and innovation promotion campaign in October targeted to showcase UK’s expertise in science and technology education to Malaysian students and parents. Institutions interested to participate can contact Jennifer Wan for more information.