how many phd holders in malaysia

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Aim to churn out 60,000 PhD holders by 2023 by Higher Education Ministry remains

Published by Afterschool.my on Nov 02, 2016 , 10:52 am

The Higher Education Ministry is committed towards its goal in producing 60,000 doctorate holders by 2023 to produce a more highly-educated peoples and ensure that the nation's need for research and innovation is met.

Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said there are currently 23,000 PhD degree holders.

“As of Sept 30, a total of 54,035 students had been provided scholarships under the MyBrain15 initiative, at a cost of RM800.2 million. The scholarships will continue to be given out and under the 11th Malaysia Plan, RM500 million had been allocated for the purpose,” he said.

He noted that PhD degree sponsorship programmes are also offered by the Public Service Department (JPA), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi), Education Ministry, Health Ministry and Khazanah Nasional Bhd (Khazanah).

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PhD Percentage by Country / Number of Doctorate Degrees per Country 2024

1. slovenia.

Slovenia is the highest-ranking country in the number of PhD degrees earned by adults between the ages of 25 and 64. An impressive 3.6% of the entire population in Slovenia has a PhD. The distribution between PhD adults by gender in Slovenia finds more female doctorates than male PhD earners. About 4.5% of adult females have a PhD, compared to about 3% of adult males in Slovenia.

2. Switzerland

Switzerland has the second-highest rate of PhDs globally, with nearly 3% of the adult population holding this advanced degree. In Switzerland, men are more likely to hold a PhD, representing 4% of the total male population, compared to about 2.5% for female doctorates.

3. Luxembourg

In Luxembourg, 2% of the total population holds a PhD. There are several countries nearly tied for 2% of the population with PhDs, and almost all of the highly educated countries are in Europe . In Luxembourg, 2.5% of male population have PhD degrees, compared to 2% of females.

4. United States

The United States is not far behind these European countries when it comes to having a highly educated population. About 1.8% of the U.S. population holds a PhD. Men are about as likely as women to have a PhD in the United States.

Coming in fifth, Sweden is home to 1.6% of its total population as doctorate degree holders. In this country, males and females are just about equal when it comes to this advanced degree. Around 2.5% of males have a PhD, while 2.2% of females hold a PhD in Sweden.

Another European country on our list of the most PhDs, Germany has about 1.4% of its population with a doctorate degree. This country sees a more significant discrepancy between males and females when it comes to higher education. About 1.75% of males are awarded PhDs, while only about 1% of females earn this degree in Germany.

7. The United Kingdom

Seventh on our list of highly educated countries with the most PhDs, the United Kingdom has about 1.3% of its population holding a doctorate. In the United Kingdom, males and females are pretty close to equal in higher education. Males account for more PhD degrees, with about 2.5%, while females are close behind with nearly 2.3% holding PhDs.

8. Australia

Breaking up the stranglehold at the top of our list between Europe and the United States, Australia makes the list by tying with the UK for the most PhD holding citizens per capita. In Australia, as in the UK, 1.3% of the population holds a doctorate degree. Males and females are awarded PhDs at almost identical rates, with males earning a PhD just slightly more frequently. Males account for 1.1% of the population earning PhDs in the country, while females account for 1.0%.

39 countries

What country has the highest percentage of PhDs?

Frequently asked questions.

• What are the characteristics and outcomes of doctoral graduates? - OECD
• These countries have the most doctoral graduates - World Economic Forum
• List of countries by number of doctorates awarded - Wiki

Addressing unemployed PhD graduates in Malaysia

By reducing brain drain and retaining phd scholars, we can foster creation of more scientific outputs within the country.

FROM  the decision to pursue and then successfully complete a PhD is a challenging journey as it requires tremendous passion and interest in research, along with the willingness to make significant sacrifices in various aspects of life, including financial stability, career advancement, personal relationships, and mental and physical wellbeing.  

In order to overcome all these challenges and to complete the PhD, PhD graduates are well-versed in problem-solving, ranging from their research fields/expertise to their daily life. A recent report showed the number of PhD graduates in Malaysia increased from 1,247 in 2010 to 4,560 in 2021.  

However, obtaining a PhD qualification does not guarantee a promising career future. This is especially true in Malaysia, which has experienced a concerning rise in the unemployment rate among PhD holders under the age of 35 as the unemployment rate has surged from 7% in 2010 to 16% in 2021.  

The ongoing global economic recession and the “Tech Layoff Cycle” may further amplify the challenges faced by PhD graduates, contributing to a higher unemployment rate in Malaysia. Recognising the current macroeconomic situation, we have explored other potential factors contributing to the rising trend of unemployed PhD graduates in Malaysia.

Find out more : The Malaysian Reserve

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UPM producing 400 PhD grads each year is normal, says MPN

Thursday, 20 Jan 2022

KAJANG: The National Council of Professors (MPN) views the ability of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to produce almost 400 PhD graduates each year as normal.

Its president and chief executive officer, Prof Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose (pic) said in fact, the number could be increased while the same number or about was also achieved by some universities in other countries.

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Tags / Keywords: National Council of Professors , UPM , PhD , universities , retirement , prof Dr Raduan Che Rose ,

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Employment status of recent higher education graduates in Malaysia 2023

In 2023, 67.9 percent of all recent higher education graduates in Malaysia were in employment, while 16.6 percent of such graduates were pursuing further studies. Higher education in Malaysia is made up of public and private universities, polytechnics, and community colleges, as well as private higher education institutions.

Employment and educational status of recent higher education graduates in Malaysia in 2023

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Figures include all recent graduates from higher education institutions with the following qualifications: postgraduate certificate, professional, certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, bachelor's degree, postgraduate diploma, master's degree, and Ph.D.

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