Solidarity in an oppressive world? : The paradox of Malaysia–Africa interactions in higher education

In the newly released Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025, Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh, minister of education II, is quoted in the foreword as saying “a student-centered education focus lies at the heart” of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (Ministry of Education Malaysia [MOE], 2015a, p. 7). The Blueprint outlines 10 key areas or ‘shifts’ in Malaysia’s higher education system that the government hopes to transform in the coming 10 years. While most of the changes are related to helping Malaysia achieve high-income status in the global economy and to making changes internally to Malaysian society and the economy, the subject of international students was also addressed, given how important this group is to the country’s shift to a neoliberal economy and competition in the global international education market. “Shift #8”, or Chapter 8, titled “Global Prominence”, casts the spotlight on international students, and not surprisingly, students from Africa are highlighted as one of the key targets of recruitment and continued retention. As the infographic (see Figure 9.1) provided in the Malaysia Education Blueprint states, in 2012, students from Africa composed 23 out of every 100 international students in Malaysia.