The smell of sizzling chicken and beef permeated the air. No it wasn't Satay nor the typical aroma of BBQ sauce. The specially marinated pieces of meat was being prepared by the Mongolian contingent at Nilai University College (Nilai UC) to give students and staff a sample of a Mongolian favourite known as 'shoshlog'. After a few tentative queries as to the origin of the meat and that it was not horsemeat, many students and staff could be seen tucking heartily into the charcoal-barbequed chunks of meat.
"We want people here to know a little more about our homeland. Mongolia is not some far-flung outback but a very real nation with very real people," said Gerelmandakh Numloon, President of the Mongolian Society. "Even though there are only 18 of us here, we want to promote our homeland's exotic culture through our Mongolia week activities."
The Mongolian Society was formed in 2006 and is one of the many organisations representing the international student population at Nilai UC. At last count, students from over 50 countries are pursuing their higher education at Nilai UC's award-winning 105-acre campus situated in the picturesque suburb of Putra Nilai. Founded in 1997, Nilai UC's credentials as an institute of higher learning was further cemented when the government made it the first university college to offer 3+0 programmes. These 3+0 programmes are partially responsible for attracting students from all over the world to study at Nilai UC.
"Many of us opted to come to Nilai UC for its variety of programmes and the active lifestyle its campus promotes," said Nomluun, a first year student in the 3+0 Oxford Brookes University Accounting and Finance programme. "Malaysia's warm climate also affords us a cheaper lifestyle." Even though Mongolia shares close ties with neighbouring Russia and many speak Russian, many students opt for Malaysia since it affords them an English-based education which in turn mean better employment prospects.
In fact, judging from the Mongolian students who were manning the stalls, they have benefited from being in an English-speaking environment as all spoke the language with confidence. Many passer-bys were intrigued by the handicrafts on display; in particular the miniature chess sets with the board made from woven sheep's fur while the wood-crafted pieces represented the ancient Mongolian monarchy. Unsurprisingly in a country where the horses outnumber the human populous, the equine presence in the handicrafts and paintings is nothing short of ubiquitous. It appears on almost every piece of artwork, from the woven fabrics to the paintings.
"I am happy to be studying at Nilai UC because of the friendly environment and first-class facilities. However, I must say that although we enjoy the warm climate, it can get a bit too hot here in Malaysia and the food is way too spicy for our palates. But we are learning to adapt," Nomluun added. She also finds the on-campus accommodation ideal for international students like herself as all the amenities are available to her not to mention the convenience of walking to classes.
Nilai UC has grown from strength to strength since its inception just over a decade ago. It was recently awarded 'University College' status and will soon be awarding its very own degree programmes. With almost 40% of its students hailing from overseas, Nilai UC has established itself as a premier tertiary institute both at home and internationally. Furthermore, Nilai UC actively promotes a very lively campus environment with a Department of Sports and Recreations set up to deal with the numerous student body and organisations.
