Xiamen University Special: Students set to flock to an academic home from home

According to Zhu, the aim is to build XMUM into one of Malaysia's best schools, and provide its students with skills that will enable them to become internationally competitive. Moreover, the school intends to follow in Tan's footsteps and support education by ensuring that it remains a not for-profit establishment.

To that end, it charges some of the lowest tuition fees among private universities in Malaysia - 22,000 ringgit to 24,000 ringgit a year - and surplus funds will be invested in the development of the campus, rather than being brought back to China, according to Zhu.

Range of options

Malaysia has a population of about 30million, equivalent to that of a large Chinese city, such as the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing,but it is home to more than 100 higher education institutions, both public and private.

In addition, some well-known universities in developed countries, such as the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, have also established campuses in the country.

That has resulted in fierce competition to recruit students, according to Zhang Ying, assistant president of XMUM.

To remain competitive, the campus offers a range of scholarships, and great efforts have been made in the design of courses and the curriculum to provide students with a wide range of study programs.

Some of the most popular disciplines at Xiamen University, such as chemical engineering, marine biotechnology and business studies, have been brought to the campus in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, some majors that are gaining popularity in Malaysia's private universities, such as new-energy science and engineering, have been set up in recognition of the country's natural resources, employment prospects and the need to train people in certain skills.

Ohg, the student from Kuala Lumpur, said the opportunity to study the new-energy science and engineering course was the reason he decided to attend the new school, although the fact that it is located near his hometown was also a factor.

Before enrolling at XMUM, Ohg was offered a full scholarship by a prestigious university on the Chinese mainland, but he declined because the school didn't offer his chosen major, which he described as"interesting and promising".