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UK university owed millions by Malaysian campus, says report
5 hours ago
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University of Nottingham spokesman says this year's financial statements are 'not reliable' to determine the performance of the campus
University of Nottingham’s Malaysian campus is seeing declining income and student numbers, according to the report by Nottinghamshire Live. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: University of Nottingham is owed millions of pounds by its campus in Malaysia, according to a report citing the UK university’s latest financial statements.
Nottinghamshire Live reported that the university, a part of the Russell Group, had made hundreds of job cuts while two of its campuses in the UK were put up for sale amid financial pressures.
The university’s financial statements for the year ended July 31, 2025, stated that it had £5.1 million (about RM26.9 million) in “doubtful debts” involving historic management fees that were “overdue” from its campus in Semenyih, Selangor.
The accounts noted that the university manages teaching at the Malaysian campus and receives a management fee, in addition to a share of the surplus or deficit of the campus’s financial performance based on its 29.9% shareholding.
The university said it recorded the £5.1 million as doubtful debt “in recognition of University of Nottingham Malaysia’s more challenging financial position”.
The statements also showed that University of Nottingham spent £595,000 (about RM3.13 million) on its Malaysian entity in the last financial year while receiving only £380,000 (about RM2 million) in income.
This decline in income was a sharp decrease from the over £1.8 million (over RM9.49 million) recorded in both 2024 and 2023, and just over £2.8 million (about RM14.76 million) in 2022.
The accounts stated that the amount due from the Malaysian campus stood at £7.599 million (about RM40.05 million) as of July 2025, up from £5.558 million (about RM29.29 million) the year before.
A spokesman for University of Nottingham said it was “not reliable” to rely on the latest financial statements alone to assess the overall performance of the Semenyih campus.
“It is important to look at the wider benefits that our overseas campuses bring to the university and our global community.
“The University of Nottingham was a pioneer in transnational education when we opened our campus in Malaysia,” the spokesman said, adding that the university’s “global outlook” was what differentiated it within the UK higher education sector.
While the university did not disclose current student numbers at the Malaysian campus in its financial statements, an impact report for its 25th anniversary said there were 4,056 students there in 2024.
This was a decrease compared with the 4,866 students reported in 2016 and 4,881 in 2017. In 2021, the university said the campus had 5,200 students.
In 2021, the university announced plans to buy out its Malaysian joint venture partner, Boustead Holdings Bhd, for £23.5 million (about RM123.85 million).
However, the deal was never concluded and the university’s spokesman declined to comment on the reason.
FMT has reached out to University of Nottingham Malaysia for comment.
Nottinghamshire Live reported that the university, a part of the Russell Group, had made hundreds of job cuts while two of its campuses in the UK were put up for sale amid financial pressures.
The university’s financial statements for the year ended July 31, 2025, stated that it had £5.1 million (about RM26.9 million) in “doubtful debts” involving historic management fees that were “overdue” from its campus in Semenyih, Selangor.
The accounts noted that the university manages teaching at the Malaysian campus and receives a management fee, in addition to a share of the surplus or deficit of the campus’s financial performance based on its 29.9% shareholding.
The university said it recorded the £5.1 million as doubtful debt “in recognition of University of Nottingham Malaysia’s more challenging financial position”.
The statements also showed that University of Nottingham spent £595,000 (about RM3.13 million) on its Malaysian entity in the last financial year while receiving only £380,000 (about RM2 million) in income.
This decline in income was a sharp decrease from the over £1.8 million (over RM9.49 million) recorded in both 2024 and 2023, and just over £2.8 million (about RM14.76 million) in 2022.
The accounts stated that the amount due from the Malaysian campus stood at £7.599 million (about RM40.05 million) as of July 2025, up from £5.558 million (about RM29.29 million) the year before.
A spokesman for University of Nottingham said it was “not reliable” to rely on the latest financial statements alone to assess the overall performance of the Semenyih campus.
“It is important to look at the wider benefits that our overseas campuses bring to the university and our global community.
“The University of Nottingham was a pioneer in transnational education when we opened our campus in Malaysia,” the spokesman said, adding that the university’s “global outlook” was what differentiated it within the UK higher education sector.
While the university did not disclose current student numbers at the Malaysian campus in its financial statements, an impact report for its 25th anniversary said there were 4,056 students there in 2024.
This was a decrease compared with the 4,866 students reported in 2016 and 4,881 in 2017. In 2021, the university said the campus had 5,200 students.
In 2021, the university announced plans to buy out its Malaysian joint venture partner, Boustead Holdings Bhd, for £23.5 million (about RM123.85 million).
However, the deal was never concluded and the university’s spokesman declined to comment on the reason.
FMT has reached out to University of Nottingham Malaysia for comment.
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