PUTRAJAYA: The US administration’s move to bar Harvard University from enrolling international students is regressive, says Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
He said the decision is harmful not only to the United States but also to the global academic community, adding that any policy restricting educational mobility would have negative repercussions.
“If this policy is implemented, it will impact the institutions and their own government. In our context, we regard this as regressive.
“We see how the existing system does not benefit the United States or the countries wishing to send students there,” he said.
He said this after launching the Karisma: Aspiring Madani Leaders; The 3H Leadership Module during the 2025 Karisma programme for Madani young leaders yesterday.
Zambry added that the United States became what it is today due to its education system and policies, which attracted global students.
“If that policy is adopted, we need further steps as there are still many better institutions.”
On Sunday, the Higher Education Minister issued a statement saying that higher education should enable diverse people to learn with and from each other.
He said the country remains committed to the principles that give education its purpose and reach.
On Thursday, the US administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enrol foreign students.
It is forcing existing students to transfer or lose their legal status, while also threatening to expand the crackdown.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the department to terminate Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Programme certification.
Noem accused the university of “fostering violence, anti-semitism and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party”.
Harvard said the move, affecting thousands of students, was illegal and amounted to retaliation.
The clampdown marks a significant escalation of the administration’s campaign against the elite Ivy League university.
The move comes after Harvard refused to provide information Noem had demanded about a segment of foreign student visa holders.
The Trump administration’s decision – which was temporarily halted by a US judge after Harvard sued – has thrown the future of thousands of foreign students and the lucrative income they provide into doubt.
