Kuala Lampur, May 4 -- Malaysia has just launched a new 10-year national education blueprint 2026-2035. Many have lauded the ambitious nature of the plan. Equally, many have warned about the many challenges of implementation. Malaysia's ambition to become a global education hub is both laudable and logical. With a strong multilingual base, strategic location, and decades of investment in campus infrastructure, the foundation is solid.

The visible presence of Malaysian universities in international rankings, driven by a concerted push for publications, proves the strategy has momentum. However, in today's hyper-competitive arena, where rankings increasingly value the impact and relevance of research, a simple "publish or perish" treadmill...