Dubbed as the land of glory and sunshine, Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia with its capital being Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia’s official language is Malay or Bahasa Malaysia, but English is also widely spoken. When it comes to religion, most Malays are Muslims. However, there are also Buddhists, Christians, and Hindus. Malaysia also has impressive landmarks that are often flocked by tourists. These include George Town, Mount Kinabalu, Sipadan Island, Penang Hills, and Borneo Rainforest. Malaysia is also known for mouthwatering food like Nasi lemak, Assam laksa, Satay, Beef rendang, and Apam Balik.
Many international students flock to Malaysia to pursue their studies as well. With top universities, the country can offer quality education at a lower cost. You can pursue different fields when you decide to study in Malaysia, such as data science.
There are many roles in the world of data science. One can be a business analyst, data architect, or even a machine learning engineer. As it is an ever-growing field, it is not surprising to know that more and more Malaysian tertiary education institutions are offering data science-related study programs, courses, and even workshops for interested students. In line with this, the Ministry of Education stated in 2015 that the country needs an additional 12,000 data scientists.
Below, we talk about some of the best data science universities in Malaysia.
Top Universities Offering Data Science Programs in Malaysia
1. Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation – School of Computing
Recognized by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation as a Premier Digital Tech University, the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) is a private institution founded in 1993. It is located in Kuala Lumpur.
APU boasts of its state as an award-winning university. Furthermore, there are currently around 12,000 students thriving at the center of excellence. The international student community is also diverse, as there are APU students from about 130 countries worldwide.
As for data science, APU offers a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science specializing in Data Analytics. The study duration for this program is three years. On the other hand, this outstanding data science university also offers a Master’s degree in Data Science and Business Analytics. Full-time students can complete it in one year, while part-time students can finish the whole program within two to three years.
2. National University of Malaysia – Department of Engineering and Technology
The National University of Malaysia, or Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), is a public university situated in the state of Selangor. With 15 faculties, there is a wide range of study programs for prospective students to choose from at UKM.
As one of Malaysia’s best and most well-known universities, UKM has a sizeable list of noteworthy alumni. The list includes Malaysia’s first-ever astronaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, diplomat Ramlan bin Ibrahim, physician Jemilah binti Mahmood, politician Mohd Rashid bin Hasnon, and writer and geopolitical analyst Ayman Rashdan Wong.
UKM began offering a Master’s degree program in Data Science back in September of 2016. It is under the Faculty of Information Science and Technology. Additionally, it can be taken as a full-time or part-time program.
3. Sunway University – School of Engineering and Technology
A leading private institution of higher education, Sunway University is among the best data science universities in Malaysia. Its eight academic schools offer a significant number of study options in various fields across all tertiary levels. Moreover, the university offers study programs that utilize English as the medium of instruction.
In addition to this, the university is part of the Sunway Education Group, owned by the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation. Other institutions under this group include Sunway College and Sunway International School.
Sunway University offers a Master’s in Data Science degree, and it is an online program. With that, the schedule is flexible and can be easier for many students. The study duration for this is two years.
4. Monash University Malaysia – Department of Information Technology
Australia’s prominent Monash University has a campus in Malaysia, and it was established in 1998, making it the first international higher education campus in the country. Currently, there are around 9,200 students at the institution spread out across its eight schools: School of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering, School of Information Technology, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychology, School of Science, and School of Pharmacy.
The university offers a Computer Science in Data Science degree program for undergraduates, and it is under the School of Information Technology. This program can be completed within three years. Furthermore, the tuition fee for Malaysian students and international students is slightly different from each other.
5. UCSI University – Computer Science and Information technology
UCSI University is a private center of learning with four campuses in Malaysia. It is part of the top 350 universities worldwide, per the QS World University Rankings 2022. Founded in 1986, it has now garnered numerous awards and recognition from various organizations. Presently, there are 12,000 students at the high-ranking institution. Moreover, prospective students have 13 faculties to choose from at UCSI.
As one of the best data science universities in Malaysia, UCSI University offers a Bachelor’s Degree program with honors for Computer Science in Data Science. It is a full-time and three-year program that can be taken at the Kuala Lumpur campus of the university. This course will focus on subject areas such as Fundamentals of Data Science, Data Mining, Database Design, Big Data, Business Analytics, and more.
We hope this article on the 5 Best Universities to Study Data Science in Malaysia was informative. If you’re interested in studying abroad, make sure to check out the Malaysia Page and sample some of the Available Programs for International Students!
