Malaysia - an upward trajectory

The Malaysian higher education system has undergone a highly dynamic development since the educational reforms of the 1990s. Today, it belongs to the leading higher education systems in South-East Asia and is an integral part of the decidedly positive economic development of Malaysia. Malaysia’s economy has been on an upward trajectory with an average annual growth of GDP of 5.4% since 2010. The country is expected to become a high-income economy by 2024.⁴⁶

Malaysia has 20 public universities, over 100 private universities, 30 Politeknik institutes and 90 community colleges. Five universities are ranked in the top 300 HEIs in the QS ranking, one of which, the Universiti Malaya, is ranked 59th in the world^.47 The Malaysian HE system follows the British education system. Bachelor’s degrees last 3 years and Master’s degrees 1 to 2 years.

English-speaking countries as competitors

Internationalisation and inbound and outbound mobility of students and researchers has long since been central to the development of the Malaysian higher education system. According to UNESCO statistics, more than 63,000 Malaysians studied abroad in 2017, an increase of 6% compared to 2010.⁴⁸ The top five destinations are all English-speaking countries including the U.K., Australia, and the US, followed by Egypt and Japan. Apart from the U.K., the only other Erasmus+ programme country in the top ten host countries is Ireland, in 10th position.⁴⁹ According to data from the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, in 2015, 84.5% of outgoing Malaysian students to the UK, Australia and the US were self-sponsored. These figures show that there is considerable scope for increasing student mobility from Malaysia towards Europe. This is reinforced by the country’s demographics, since 17.1% of the population in 2020 is aged between 15 and 24.⁵⁰

Due to the economic situation, studying in Europe is well affordable for the middle class. In addition, the Malaysian government (Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA)) funds scholarships for study in European countries.

Sucessful previous endeavours

Some European HE promotion initiatives have already been held in Malaysia, including European Higher Education Fairs in 2007 and 2016 and European pavilions during existing fairs grouping together European exhibitors under one banner.

A large European pavilion was organised at the Facon Education Fair in December 2018 in the framework of the second phase of the Study in Europe project. The visitor survey proved the fair to be successful: many visitors recorded an interest in European countries they had not considered as a study destination before.

Sources

46 Source: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malaysia/overview 

47 Source: https://topuniversities.com 

48 Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

49 Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

50 Source: United Nations Population Division (World Population Prospects 2019)

These are the terms and conditions agreed by: "The Organisers" (DAAD on behalf of the "Study in Europe" consortium composed of Campus France, DAAD, Nuffic, The Education and Youth Board of Estonia (Harno), Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)), and "The Exhibitor", the eligible institution and its representatives which has made an application to the Organisers to participate in the above mentioned Event. 

In these conditions: "The Event" is that organised by the Organisers; "The Venue" as defined in the event profile. 

1. Selection criteria for Institutions 

In order to be eligible to exhibit at any of the Events, the institutions must: 

• be a higher education institution (HEI) recognised by the competent national authority, an official consortium of recognised higher education institutions or a national governmental agency in charge of higher education promotion (governmental agencies may be represented by their embassy in the country where the Event is taking place);
• have their headquarters in one of the Erasmus+ programme countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Republic of North Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia and Turkey);
• deliver higher education degrees recognized by the competent national authority (if the institution is a higher education institution or an official consortium of higher education institutions).

In all cases eligible HEIs must promote higher education programs to be delivered in one of the Erasmus+ programme countries (international campuses of European HEIs based outside of Europe are not eligible if promoting their international campus; they may be eligible if they are based in the country where the fair is taking place).

2. Registration

The registration for the Event is done online through the website www.studyineuropefairs.eu. The registration is binding. Once the Exhibitors have submitted the registration, they cannot be discharged from their contractual duties. The online registration serves as a contract upon submission and acceptance by the Organisers. It becomes binding for both parties upon acceptance by the Organisers, in the form of a separate confirmation sent in writing (e-mail).

3. Quota system

Places for HEIs will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis per country. If after the deadline, certain places have not been taken up, these will be evenly reallocated amongst countries with additional applicants based on the date and time of the registration. If the number of applications exceeds the number of booths available, eligible institutions will be placed on a waiting list according to the date and time of their registration.

4. Consortia and booth sharing

Consortia will be treated as one institution – e.g. only one exhibition booth, one entry in the exhibition leaflet, one name on the fascia board, one listing on the website and in all fair material. Consortia are requested to nominate a representative who will accept the responsibility and liability of the group. 

Booth sharing may be permitted for a maximum of two HEIs (from one country) per booth. They will be treated as one HEI – i.e. one exhibition booth, one entry in the exhibition leaflet, one name on the fascia board, one listing on the website and in all fair material. HEIs are requested to nominate a representative who will accept the responsibility and liability for both HEIs.

5. Terms of payment

Campus France – on behalf of the Organisers – will invoice Exhibitors for the Event before the Event takes place (in accordance with French law). All invoices shall be paid within 30 days of the invoice date and before the Event takes place. Terms of payment and deadlines will be stated on the invoice and must be respected in order for the Exhibitor to be able to take part in the Event. The Organisers reserve the right to cancel the contract and otherwise use the space reserved if payments are not remitted on time. In such an event, the Organisers shall not be liable for any resulting costs, damages and/or losses charged to the Exhibitor. If on the instructions of the Exhibitor, invoices are made out to a third party the Exhibitor continues to be liable for all charges.

6. VAT

The Exhibitor shall pay the fees for participation in the Event as published in the Event profile. Unless otherwise stated, all fees published in the Event Profile are exclusive of VAT, which the Exhibitor shall, where applicable, pay in addition.

7. Accommodation, travel and subsistence

Please note that the participation fee does not include accommodation, subsistence, health and travel insurance, and international or domestic travel costs. The Exhibitor is fully responsible for organising accommodation, international and local travel, health and travel insurance, as well as possible visas at its own cost. The Exhibitor shall also consult the current travel and safety instructions of its respective foreign affairs ministry. Obtaining a visa and all the associated costs is the responsibility of the Exhibitor. The Organisers cannot assist in the visa application process.

8. Freight forwarding

Freight forwarding is not included in the participation fee. Each Exhibitor is responsible for arranging and covering the cost of the appropriate forwarding of its promotional material including customs procedures. The Organisers may inform about possible freight forwarding companies but this does not constitute a recommendation by the Organisers. Additional information regarding freight forwarding will be available on the specific fair website or in the Exhibitors’ handbook.

9. Withdrawal by the Exhibitor 

Cancellation fees will be charged for withdrawal by the Exhibitor, for whatever reason, from the Event as of the date of receipt of notice of withdrawal. Notice of withdrawal must be supplied in writing to the Organisers (see Contact). Cancellation rates are as follows:

• 50 per cent of the full Participation fee up to 60 days prior to the event; 
• 100 per cent of the full Participation fee less than 60 days prior to the Event.

10. Cancellation of the Event

The Organisers reserve the right to cancel, postpone, curtail, move, extend, modify or abandon the Event or to close individual or all sections of the Event temporarily or permanently, if unforeseen events so require. Should it be necessary to cancel, postpone, curtail, move, extend, modify or abandon the Event, the Exhibitor shall not be entitled to claim any indemnities and the Exhibitor will be responsible for any cancellation charges on flights, accommodation and any other costs it may incur. If the Event does not receive a sufficient number of Exhibitors, the Organisers may, at their sole discretion, decide to change the format of the Event. The Organisers will do this by notifying the Exhibitors of the Event in writing by sending an email no later than 30 days before the date of the Event. Participation fees will not be reimbursed if the Event is cancelled due to force majeure.

11. Loss or damage to Exhibitor’s property

The Organisers will not accept any liability for the damage, theft or loss of any Exhibitor’s property in any circumstances. The Exhibitor is responsible for taking out adequate insurance.

12. Loss or damage caused by Exhibitor

The Exhibitor will indemnify the Organisers against: all actions, claims, suits, costs, expenses, demands (whether in respect of damage to property, personal injury or otherwise and including all legal costs and other expenses suffered or incurred by the Organisers) which any person may bring or claim arising from and out of the use of the Venue and the exhibition booth by the Exhibitor, its employees, servants, contractors and invitees; loss and damage to the Venue and to any property therein arising out of the use of Venue and the exhibition booth by the Exhibitor, its employees, servants, contractors or invitees and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing caused by the use or misuse of water, gas or electricity. The Exhibitor is responsible for taking out adequate insurance.

13. Personal accidents

The Exhibitor participates at its own risk and the Organisers do not accept any liability for any accident, damage or injuries suffered by the Exhibitor, its delegates, servants, agents, contractors, invitees, and members of the public or any person whatsoever during the Event. The Exhibitor is responsible for taking out adequate personal liability.

14. Disclaimer 

The Organisers accept no liability for loss or damage suffered by the Exhibitor and caused by:

• the failure of any service or amenities which the Organisers are responsible for providing;
• the failure of any service or amenities to be provided by the Event subcontractors and the organiser of the main fair;
• the cancellation or suspension of the Event due to force majeure, including but not limited to war, act of terrorism, earthquake, typhoon, adverse weather, strikes or by reason beyond the Organisers’ control. The Organisers accept no responsibility whatsoever for licensing matters, customs duties, import charges, taxes, the delivery of visas, hotel rooms or Exhibitor’s travel arrangements.

15. Booth allocation

The Organisers are entitled to allocate at their own discretion the booths in the manner deemed fit and appropriate. Exhibitors will accept the booth that is allocated to them by the Organisers. The Exhibitors shall occupy the space allocated to them exclusively. The Exhibitors may not assign, sublet or grant licences in respect of any part of the space allotted to them nor may they advertise institutions that are not a party to the contract.

16. Booths

Exhibitors will be allocated a booth as detailed in the Event profile. Exhibitors must not change the booth structure, fascia board, flag, carpeting or walls or any other element that is common to all booths. All decoration and promotional materials shall be attached without damaging the property of the booth construction. The Exhibitor will be held liable for any damage of the allocated booth. Depending on the location of the booth area, specific locations may have electrical boxes, cables, water pipes running through or beside the booth.

17. Representation at the booth

The Exhibitor will ensure that at least one official representative of its institution will be present during the official opening hours of the Event and no exhibit may be removed from the booth prior to the official closing time of the Fair. Booth representatives may not include agents.

18. Promotional materials and displays

In the interests of all Exhibitors, advertising is only permitted within the allocated exhibition space. Exhibitors are not allowed to distribute literature or materials or any promotional items of any sort outside of their booth, either inside or outside the Event exhibition area. Exhibitors may be asked to submit all promotional items, materials, literature and displays to the Organisers for approval and to make such changes as shall be agreed. If agreement cannot be reached, the Exhibitor must withdraw the literature, material or display. The Organisers reserve the right to close down any booth not respecting the Organisers’ requirements at the Exhibitor’s risk and expense. Agents’ promotional literature must not be displayed nor distributed at the Event. 

19. Sub-contracting

The Organisers reserve the right to hire or contract sub-contractors to co-organise specific parts of the Event or to hire space at an existing fair in order to organise a European pavilion.

In case of a European pavilion organised at an existing fair, the Exhibitor shall respect the Terms and Conditions of the organiser of the main fair which will be made available by the Study in Europe contact.

20. Additional booth equipment

Additional booth equipment may be ordered by the Exhibitor at its own costs via the official booth construction company. Further information will be provided in the Exhibitors’ handbook. The use of microphones and sound systems are only permitted with the prior approval of the Organisers and should not disturb other Exhibitors.

21. Use of venue

The Venue shall not be used for any illegal or immoral purpose and the Organisers reserve the right to remove any material that in their sole opinion may be considered offensive or obscene. The Venue shall not be used for the purpose of betting or gambling. All goods and property brought into the Venue are brought in at the owner’s risk. Escalators and passenger elevators shall be dedicated to the use of passengers and shall not be blocked or be used to transport freight or equipment or material of any nature.

22. Notices

If either party wishes to give notice to the other party under this agreement it shall be by registered delivery or first class mail to the Organisers.

23. Termination of agreement

The Organisers are entitled to terminate without notice their agreement with an Exhibitor if:

• the Exhibitor or its designated representative commits any breach of or fails to observe any of the conditions or regulations set out in these terms and conditions;
• the Exhibitor has a receiver appointed over all or part of its assets, enters into liquidation, or commits an act of bankruptcy, whether compulsorily or voluntarily;
• the Exhibitor fails to pay any sum due.

In the event that the Agreement is terminated by the Organisers unless otherwise agreed between the Organisers and the Exhibitor in writing, the Exhibitor shall indemnify the Organisers in respect of all costs loss, damages or expenses (including any consequential loss or damage) incurred as the result of such termination.

24. Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy sets out the data processing practices carried out through the use of the Internet, the www.studyineuropefairs.eu website and the online registration tool. If you have any requests concerning your personal information, any queries with regard to these practices or if you wish to modify or to remove your personal data, please contact us at info@studyineuropefairs.eu. We collect personal information through the Event registration process only. We do not sell, trade or rent your personal information to third parties. We will only disclose personal information to our partners, to the Exhibitors of the Event and to other organisations related to the Event you register for and to the suppliers we engage to process data on our behalf. Given that the Internet is a global environment, using the Internet to collect and process personal data necessarily involves the transmission of data on an international basis. Therefore, by carrying out the registration process and by communicating electronically with us, you acknowledge and agree to our processing of personal data in this way.

25. Use of audio-visual material

The Organisers reserve the right, at their sole and absolute discretion, to use the films, audio recordings and/or photographs of an exhibition stand in any media without first obtaining the consent of the Exhibitor and without making any payment whatsoever for publicity, advertising, trade or promotion purposes. The Organisers are allowed to publish photographs of the fair in any media. Any Exhibitor attending the fair waives their intellectual property rights on any photographs taken and/or published in a manner described here.

26. Use of logos

The Exhibitor agrees that any information given to the Organiser via the Registration process (name of institution, logo, and Exhibitor profile) may be used to promote the Event and the participation of the Exhibitor in any media.

27. Governing law

By submitting the application to participate in the Event, the Exhibitor agrees to these Terms and Conditions. The mutual rights and obligations residing in this contractual relationship shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of Germany. Place of jurisdiction shall be Bonn, Germany. Should any of the above conditions be or become null and void, the other conditions shall continue to be valid.