She said the students should take the initiative to learn the local culture by experiencing it for themselves so that they would not get the wrong information or have any misconceptions.

"They should not receive any news or ideas without analysing it, as it may turn out to be false or prejudiced.

"And, in the process of learning another's culture, the students need not abandon their own identity. Instead, they should possess a strong personality as they are representing their country."

Raja Zarith Sofiah, who is the consort of the Tengku Mahkota, said this after officiating a high tea attended by 29 foreign students of UTM at the Alumni Hall in Skudai, Johor Baru, on Aug 23.

Also present were UTM Vice-Chancellor Tan Sri Mohd Zulkifli Mohd Ghazali and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) Prof Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir.

Raja Zarith also reminded local students not to adulate the west, telling them that they should be proud of their origins.

"The success of the west is attributable to ideas from the east," she said.

Mohd Zulkifli said UTM was going to increase its intake of foreign students by 10 per cent by 2020 as Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin had recommended.

Also, out of concern for the students' welfare, UTM had launched an International Student Centre recently.

Mohd Zulkifli hoped this would attract more foreign students to study at the university.