Marlborough College’s First Overseas Campus In Iskandar Malaysia

By Hazlinda Hamzah KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 (Bernama) -- The first overseas campus of Marlborough College will open in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor (southern state of Malaysia) on Aug 27 this year. "We at Marlborough College UK are looking forward to being part of Malaysia. The courses offered here are very similar to the ones offered in the UK. And this branch is the first to open outside the UK, on a 90-acre (close to 36.4 hectares) site," Headmaster of Marlborough College Malaysia, Robert Pick told Bernama recently. Marlborough College first opened in the United Kingdom in 1843. This 169-year-old independent British co-ed public school is among the top public schools in the world, along with Eton and Harrow. "Our first branch in Malaysia is not a franchise. Half of our teaching staff is either from the UK school or comprises old pupils of Marlborough College UK. This new expansion is certainly an exciting project. "We find children’s education to be the most important factor, which enables the realisation and recognition of academic potential among them," Pick went on to explain. ALL-ROUND EDUCATION The first 300 students enrolled at the Iskandar Malaysia campus will not only obtain a chance to experience courses similar to those studied by their seniors in the UK but also be prepared to fulfil a global dream - that of achieving global citizenship. "The students will not only be encouraged to 'think', upon attending to all the academic sessions prepared for them, but also be exposed to recognising their own strengths and weaknesses, and that of their friends. "The next most important step would be for these students of great potential to learn to respect and tolerate other people, including their views and ideas. This would be of great benefit to all," Pick explained. The initial intake in Malaysia will see children from 4 to 14 years of age attending day school. The next age group of students - between 14 and 18 years - will be attending full board sessions in the Iskandar Malaysia branch, Johor. LANGUAGES Marlborough College is predominantly British, and the teaching staff is chosen based on criteria at par with the mandatory employment criteria of the UK. The most important criterion is quality, Pick stressed. "We are determined to do things right - the best possible in Malaysia. Our intake for August 2012 consists of students from Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and a few from Saudi Arabia," he said. Marlborough College Malaysia will be offering various languages to its registered students, including Mandarin, Spanish and the Malay language. The college believes the languages offered in Asia will make a great difference for this new intake, as these languages will be more beneficial and influential for them in the future. "After all, Spanish is the world's third most spoken language, and Mandarin is, I must say, a language that is gaining tremendous influence - it already is in this region," Pick explained. 3 C’s The future will be bright for those with the vision of becoming global citizens. However, to achieve that ultimate status, one must be willing to accept adapting to change at an early age. A global citizen will have an abundance of work opportunities around the world, and Pick envisions the graduates of Marlborough College as being far more resilient to change, and thus always prepared to work beyond regions. "We emphasise 'Compassion, Companionship and Communication'. The ability to see the world from the eyes of others, besides forming lasting friendships to survive a lifetime, as well as the elevation of knowledge into wisdom and facts are important qualities - in fact, a skill - to equip these young generations with. "We should learn from the mistakes of our past. We want to be an educational beacon in Malaysia and Southeast Asia," he added. Marlborough College took almost five years to set up the Malaysian campus, and Pick is positive that the college's decision to expand outside its established mainland after 169 years will facilitate an exchange of the best in knowledge and experience, benefiting both Malaysia and the UK. FEES When asked about the fees charged in the Malaysian campus, Pick agreed that the investment is substantial, but certainly less than the fees charged at the main school in the UK. It amounts to a quarter of the fees charged in the UK campus. "It costs about RM150,000 a year in Marlborough College UK. We provide quality education and we do it our way. We do not franchise our product. The facilities in the Malaysian campus will enable an out-of-class learning experience. Potentials get exposed better this way, and the output will certainly be optimised," Pick pointed out. There are 10 sports fields and swimming pools on the Iskandar Malaysia campus. Each class comprises only 18 students, and all classrooms are equipped with projectors, wi-fi access, state-of-the-art equipment, and everything else related to innovation and high technology. When asked about the future of these students once they complete their studies, Pick told Bernama that two-thirds of the college's student output, at 18 years of age, prove to be well accepted and gain an immediate entry into the 100 best universities worldwide. "I am confident that Marlborough College UK and Malaysia can expand further and match the quality of top schools all over the world. We will probably extend our wings again. There are plans to do so when the time is right," he added with a smile. The college has plans to expand into the North American region, the Middle East and India. -- BERNAMA