Monash Australia students discover new perspectives in Malaysia
Monash University Australia students on first day of MGCI program.
For students from Monash University, Australia, who joined the Monash Global Campus Intensives (MGCI) program at Monash University Malaysia this June and July, three weeks in Malaysia was less about the chance to travel abroad and more about opportunities to experience a different culture and academic environment.
MGCI is Monash University's short-term intensive study program, delivered across its global campus network during the winter or summer semester break. Students undertake academic subjects while living and learning at a Monash overseas location, combining study with opportunities to experience the local community and build global connections.
For Napassawan Jirawongprapa, a Bachelor of Applied Data Science student, some of the most memorable experiences were not the usual tourist attractions. Instead, she followed local friends to neighbourhood restaurants, explored places off the usual tourist routes, and travelled to a waterfall few visitors discover.
Jirawongprapa relaxes by the waterfalls during her recent trip to Malaysia.
"By spending time with the locals, I was able to immerse myself in the culture and experience what is it really like to be in Malaysia," she said. "It taught me to prioritise genuine connection over a superficial travel itinerary, showing me that you truly discover a place when you slow down, live at a local pace, and enjoy the present moment."
Raheel Bostan, a double-degree law and business student who travelled to Malaysia to study Australian Banking Law, discovered that studying in Malaysia changed the way he thought about his academic discipline.
Studying a subject he genuinely enjoyed, albeit in a different national and cultural context, led him to reevaluate how much of what he had regarded as familiar was shaped by his environment. Some of his most memorable experiences happened outside class, from climbing the steps at Batu Caves to conversations with locals at the local food hub and exploring the famous food street in the city centre at night.
Bostan snaps a quick photo with the pigeons at Batu Caves.
"There is something special about learning it in a country that runs on a different rhythm to home," he said.
For Sim Ying Xin, enrolled in a double degree in law and information technology, the experience was particularly personal. Born in Penang and raised in Melbourne, she returned to Malaysia expecting to know the country already well.
Instead, MGCI allowed her to reconsider what she thought she knew.
Sim enjoys the view of the Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers.
"It was wonderful to reconnect with my cultural heritage. As someone born in Malaysia, I initially thought I already had a strong understanding of the country, but MGCI allowed me to experience it from a different perspective," she said.
That has influenced the way she now approaches her studies.
"Now that I'm back in Australia, I appreciate Malaysia in a much more nuanced way and find myself drawing comparisons between the two countries in my everyday life. I now inherently consider the differences between Australian and Malaysian legal systems when discussing law and culture in class,” she said.
Born in Malaysia but raised in Melbourne, Sim reconnects with her cultural roots during her time in Malaysia.
In addition to Malay language classes and batik painting workshops, the MGCI program offers students opportunities to participate in excursions and community-based activities to explore various aspects of Malaysian society. Visits to Dari Dapur, where migrant workers shared their stories, and time spent with Orang Asli communities gave students the chance to look beyond familiar representations of Malaysia.
For Sim, that combination of academic study, cultural immersion, and everyday interactions was central to MGCI's value.
When asked what she would advise a friend who is considering the program next year, Sim was quick to respond:
"Absolutely do it. It's a great way to gain study abroad experience whilst maintaining a similar routine to Melbourne, given the teaching style and academic commitments are similar. It also gives you the opportunity to experience a different culture and academic environment without feeling too far outside your comfort zone."
Bostan manages to explore nature in between classes.
MGCI provides students with the opportunity to experience a different academic and cultural environment and build connections beyond the classroom within the Monash Global Campus network. More information about the Monash Global Campus Intensive program is available online on MGCI.