Work

Developing Malaysia Madani: the Impact of Gender and Student Origin (urban Vs. Rural) on Leadership, Citizenship, and Democratization in Malaysian Universities

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The impact of gender and origin on student leadership, citizenship, and democratisation in Malaysian Islamic universities is a critical yet underexplored area in advancing the Malaysia Madani agenda. This study aims to examine how these factors influence student interactions within the unique context of Islamic higher education institutions. Data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 593 students across three Islamic universities in Malaysia using a survey methodology. Specialised questionnaires measured student leadership, citizenship, and the democratisation process, alongside demographic information. Ethical guidelines were strictly followed, and data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. T-tests were employed to compare mean differences across gender and origin groups. The findings indicate no significant gender differences in student leadership and citizenship. However, a slight disparity was observed in democratisation, where female students reported marginally lower scores. Similarly, no significant differences were found in leadership and citizenship between urban and rural students. Nevertheless, urban students demonstrated a notably higher engagement in democratisation compared to their rural counterparts. These findings underscore the importance of tailored educational strategies to address disparities and foster inclusive leadership and democratic values in Malaysian Islamic universities. The insights from this study can inform policies aimed at ensuring equitable educational opportunities and outcomes for all students.

Source: PLANNING MALAYSIA

DOI: 10.21837/pm.v23i36.1736

Authors: Wan Khairul Aiman Wan Mokhtar, Mohd Nor Adzhar Ibrahim, Hasse Jubba, Saifuddin Zuhri Qudsy, Abdul Hanis Embong

Institutions: Sultan Zainal Abidin University, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

Language: English

Topic: Higher Education Research Studies

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Gender equality

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin