In a move which might seem like a kick in the groin for the education sector in Singapore, Singapore has been given a severe education lesson by a premier university, UNSW from Australia. Possibly due to lack of communication from both parties and different expectations and hopes from either parties, the ultimatum of a university closure after just one semester may seem to cause reduce the viability from other potential top universities to invest here.

Just across the causeway however, education business seems to be doing well. It was during Mahathir’s era when the former PM noticed how there is a big leak in its external account due to the chinese populations sending their children overseas to study as the parents felt that there was a lack of opportunities for their children to study in Malaysian universities. The initial objective was to stem this leak. But the ventures got off really well that it became a good source of income by attracting not just local students but foreign students as well.

Australian universities and British universities were quick to get on the board and set up an external campus in Malaysia. Monash and Curtin from Australia, both have campuses there. Students enrolments are reasonably strong in foreign universities resulting in more universities setting up business in Malaysia.

Could Singapore education hub vision actually work?