Local varsities comparable to Oxford University - Idris Jusoh

Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said it was not impossible to attain given that public universities' performance was increasingly able to attract students from around the world to pursue knowledge in the country.

"It cannot be denied that engineering courses offered in public institutions of higher learning are among the best in the world so much so that Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP) has also become the choice of foreign students," he said at the 2014 Outstanding Students' Award ceremony at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Engineering campus, here Saturday night.

He said so far 135,000 foreign students had registered at local universities, which was a figure to be proud of.

In his speech, Idris said besides engineering courses, pharmacy science studies offered in USM was also among the best 100 in the world.

He said Islamic banking studies in Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) is also among the best in the world.

"Not only that, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) through its courses in agriculture is 54th world best. So it is not impossible if the excellent performance of local public institutions of higher learning continued to be empowered to compete against the best universities in the world now," he said.

At the ceremony, student leader, Ju Ariana Ibrahim, 24 was named the recipient of the 2014 Education Minister Award.

The youngest of eight siblings from Klang, Selangor, Ju Ariana, a final year student in Biotechnology at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) took home a trophy, certificate and cash RM3,000 as well as a Kris Modenas motorcycle.

When met by the media, she said she was grateful for the award, a result of keeping a balance between studies and voluntary and community activities.

"Apart from academic achievements, I also try to make time for the community," she said.

Guided by her father in social activities since she was six years old, Ju Ariana also dedicated the award as an inspiration to other undergraduates who continued to serve the country.