MBA Study Tour

The MBA Study Tour provides an introduction to business in Malaysia within the ASEAN context, with an orientation to the local history, culture, politics, and social structure of Malaysia.

Malaysia has bilateral trade agreements with the USA, Australia and New Zealand (including the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) and TPP-11. The importance of Malaysia as one of Australia’s top 10 trading partners is evident and provides opportunities for business in numerous industries including automotive, agriculture, F&B including wine, ICT Fintech, and business services. THE USA has over 6,200 companies operating in the ASEAN region. The program provides access to top-level executives at international and Malaysian companies, key trade personnel, and local Business Chambers. An orientation program provides an introduction to business in Asia, including meetings, site visits, and dress protocols. Accommodation is provided in single rooms in 3-4 star hotels with breakfast included, and transport is provided for all visits. Some meals are included in the schedule but participants are free to explore the restaurants and local sights during the evening. The program is tailored to engage with government trade and investment personnel and business chambers from the visiting country.

Overview

The program is positioned to attract those in leadership positions in their own companies, with prospective hosts briefed on the cohort and their backgrounds, ensuring the presentations and discussions with key personnel are pitched at the right level. Hosts are sourced from a range of government agencies, professional organisations and companies. An NGO is also included to provide a balance to the views offered at other sites.

Facts on Malaysia Relations with global partners

  • Kuala Lumpur itself is a sophisticated city within a moderate Muslim country and enjoys a relatively high standard of living (in the ASEAN context) with excellent infrastructure, with the primary producers of the nation’s food are often among the poorest. while missing the mark of becoming a developed nation by 2020, Malaysia grapples with the complexity of political, social, racial and religious issues that beset many developing nations. As the country crawls towards becoming a developed nation, spending on infrastructure and property belies the fact that 40% of the country exist on less than RM2000 per month.

  • The Australia-Malaysia partnership is long standing and broad — from cooperation in WWII to the modern day trade and tourism links.

    The US was, and still is one of the largest trading partners for Malaysia and is traditionally considered to be Malaysia's oldest and closest ally in military, economic and education sectors.

  • Malaysia has signed and implemented a total of 16 FTAs (7 bilateral FTAs and 9 regional FTAs). Notably, in 2022, Malaysia implemented two mega-FTAs namely Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

  • There were an estimated 174,000 Malaysian-born people living in Australia in 2018. In 2019, Malaysia was Australia's eighth largest market for international arrivals with almost 385,000 Malaysians visiting Australia. Over 273,000 Australians visited Malaysia in the same year.

  • Malaysians formed the largest number of original Colombo Plan participants (4,000). here are now over 300,000 Malaysian alumni of Australian education institutions in Australia and Malaysia, including more than 125,000 Malaysians who have studied in Australia since 2002.

    In 2019, Malaysia ranked sixth as a source country for international students overall. More than 24,000 Malaysians are currently studying in Australia.

    There are now four Australian universities with a significant presence in Malaysia: Monash University, Swinburne University, Curtin University, and Wollongong University.

    In the last decade, more than 7,500 Australian students undertook study or internship in Malaysia, including many supported by the New Colombo Plan (NCP). Since Malaysia joined the NCP in 2015, almost 3,000 Australian students have been supported to undertake study and internships in the country and a further 472 students in 2020.

Student Feedback on our MBA Study Tour.

“Program exceeded my expectations. Great mix of sites and the level of presenters/meetings was outstanding.”

“Very impressed with the level of people we engaged with and the time they gave.”

“I think I have developed an understanding on how to conduct business in Malaysia”

“Very useful to build good network, highly recommended”

“Thank you Global Student, a great week that exceeded all expectations (I wish I could do it again)”