10.6.3 : Access to university underrepresented groups recruit

UTM demonstrates a systemic commitment to Access to university track underrepresented groups applications by implementing multiple, dedicated initiatives to recruit, track, and financially support students from diverse, non-traditional, and low-income backgrounds. The university uses its financial aid and welfare programs as primary tools to measure and increase the representation of these groups.

Tracking and Recruiting Underrepresented Groups

1. Focus on Low-Income (B40) Students:

UTM explicitly measures and prioritizes students from the Bottom 40 (B40) household income group (often defined as those with household incomes of RM5,000.00 and below). This group is consistently identified as a target for positive action:

• Targeted Scholarships: The UTM National Postgraduate Fund and the Endowment Scholarship both prioritize or are offered specifically to B40 category students. This shows a deliberate effort to recruit and retain students who might otherwise face financial barriers to access.
• Impact Measurement: The university tracks its success in this area, noting that approximately 50% of UTM students come from low-income families (B40). The Endowment Fund further tracks the disbursement of scholarships to 771 students across various programs, providing a quantitative metric of access.

2. International and Diverse Recruitment:

UTM actively recruits international students from a wide array of countries, particularly in regions that may contain underrepresented populations. The university uses a global network of 92 officially appointed education agents to facilitate the application process for international students from specific target regions, including:

• Africa
• Middle East
• South Asia (e.g., Bangladesh, India, Pakistan)
• Southeast Asia (e.g., Indonesia)
• China

This broad and targeted use of agents is a planned action to extend recruitment reach beyond traditional markets, thereby increasing the diversity of the student body.

3. Welfare and Support for Retention:

The university ensures that financial barriers do not lead to attrition for low-income and other vulnerable students. UTM's Student Welfare and Protection Scheme (through the Endowment Fund) provides essential support that goes beyond tuition:

• Basic Needs Support: Financial assistance is channeled to over 600 B40 students in the form of contributions for national celebrations, suspended meals, and one-off financial assistance for students facing difficulties.
• Religious Aid: Zakat Aid is offered for both tuition fees and living expenses for eligible students, addressing the specific financial needs of the Muslim student population.

By adopting an admissions structure that incorporates scholarship priority, transparent B40 tracking, and targeted international recruitment, UTM demonstrates a comprehensive strategy to measure, recruit, and sustain enrollment of students from underrepresented and financially vulnerable groups.

Source :

https://admission.utm.my/student-recruitment-agent/

https://admission.utm.my/sgss/