Impact of education hub development on socio-economic transformation of rural community/ Mohmad Fadhli Rashid, Khairul Hisyam Kamarudin and Fatihah Hanipah

The establishment of an education hub represents an effective initiative aimed at expanding access to higher education for both local and international students. Besides education, it positively affects nearby rural communities in various ways like education, income, livelihood, and
jobs. But for these benefits to happen, it is crucial to consider the broader context and the needs of the community when planning and developing an education hub. Sometimes, if the focus remains only on internal planning without considering the community's socio-economic dynamics, the positive impact might be limited. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the impact of education hub on the socioeconomic transformation of rural communities. To understand the full impact of an education hub on rural communities, a survey was conducted at the Pagoh Education Hub (PEH) in Johor, Malaysia. The study sample comprised 61 respondents from three villages situated within the education hub area. Quantitative data analysis was employed to identify key factors affecting the socio-economic landscape, including livelihood, education, employment, and income. The findings show the development of the Pagoh Education Hub created more job opportunities, better access to education, improved infrastructure, and a cleaner environment as well as high safety level despite having more non local people, like foreign workers and students coming to the area. These findings help assess how the Pagoh Education Hub has transformed the livelihoods of the nearby communities.