Counselling Services In Higher Education In Britain: Perceptions Of Malaysian Students

Malaysian students in British universities are from varied socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds. Many of them arrived with insufficient information about life in Britain and would encounter difficulties during their study. The purpose of this study is to indentify problems faced by Malaysian students, the seeking help that they when they are having problems; to identify their reasons for seeking counselling services, and preferences of Malaysian students in seeking counselling services. A questionnaire was designed by the reseacher. It is made up three major parts: (a) the personal background; (b) a survey about their problems and needs, and (c) a survey of attitudes of students toward counselling. The major finding of this study are: there were six problem areas faced by Malaysian students: financial problems, study problems, personal problems, adaptation problems. homesick, and deppression problems. The majority of Malaysian students who had problems consulted either their own friends or their tutors. Counsellors’ characteristics like gender, age, religion, culture, and race were not significant for them. The results indicated that the core conditions of empathy, genuiness, congruence and acceptance proposed by the client-centered therapy are considered by students as the most important qualities of the counsellor. The main reasons considered to going counselling is the ‘counsellor’ himself rather than other ‘people’. Meanwhile the main reasons Malaysian students considered for not going to counselling are that they prefer to solve the problem themselves, and prefer friends who can help and understand them better. A framework model for multi-cultural counselling is suggested as guide for student counsellors in their work with overseas students, and suggestions are made as to how institutions of higher education can impoved the services, especially counsellors’ skills and knowledge