COUNTRY CASES ONHIGHER EDUCATION HARMONIZATION:MALAYSIA

Professor Dr. Asma Ismail Director General of Higher Education Malaysia

CONTENT 1. National Higher Education Strategic Plan

(2007-2020) 2. Higher Education Blueprint (2015-2025) 3. Higher Education in Brief : Snapshot &

Achievements 4. Challenges of 21st Century and why it matters 5. Good practices:

1. Quality Assurance 2. Student Mobility

6. The Way Forward: Challenges & suggestions and Recommendations

1. In 2007, Ministry launched Higher Education Strategic Plan strategic policy that contains overview on strategies to drive institutions of higher learning in the country towards achieving world-class status by 2020.

2.This document outlined seven (7) strategic thrusts such as follows: i. Widening of access and increasing equity  ii. Improving the quality of teaching and learning  iii. Enhancing research and innovation  iv. Strengthening of higher education institutions  v. Intensifying internationalisation  vi. Enculturation of lifelong learning vii. Reinforcing delivery systems of the Ministry

NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN (2007-2020)

Higher Education in Malaysia has come a long way………….

2007 -2010

2011 -2020

Introduction

• Major achievements of National Higher Education Strategic Plan

• Include having private education, opening the country to branch campuses, greater mobility of student and faculty across borders, breakthroughs in technology and birth of Malaysian Research Universities

Private education

Branch campuses in

Malaysai

Mobility of students

Mobility of staff

Breakthroughs in

Technology

Research Universities

Introduction

• However, world is changing and we need to keep pace with the challenges of the 21st Century.

GLOBAL Economic crisis

GLOBAL Competition due to GLOBALIZATION eg Asean Community Network

Accelerating PACE of CHANGE due to DIGITAL age

Impact of 21st Century challenges

• Our graduates must be trained for the Malaysian and Global market

• We need to change their mindset from being a job seeker to job creators that are balanced citizens with entrepreneurial mindset

• We need to ensure they meet 21st century skills such as communication ability, soft skills and critical thinking • The emphasis will be for the students to be

proficient in Bahasa Melayu and English • There is also a need to learn a third language (to

have a competitive edge in the global market)

Impact of 21st Century challenges

• We need to ensure they undergo experiential learning and hence mobility of students and staff are important

• There is a need to make Malaysia as an international hub of education since the future economy is Asia and many would need to understand Asia to survive the future economy

• This in essence is also part of our soft power in education strategy

Introduction

• The merger of Ministries in 2013 to ensure seamlessness

• Align Malaysian Education blueprint 2013-2025 and Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education) 2015-2025

To provide the best education for Malaysia’s future generation, the Malaysia Higher Education system must evolve, both in response to global trends as well as in preparation for further disruptions. We need to deliver learned-values driven talents that are holistic, balanced and entrepreneurial for the ASEAN and the global market

The Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education) will be centered on 10 Shifts

Intro-ductory chapters

Final Sections

Table of contents

2015-2025(HIGHER EDUCATION)

▪14 chapter writing teams

▪20 lead authors

▪42 writing team members

Stakeholder Outcomes

Enablers to improve outcomes

▪ Introduction, Philosophy and Approach

▪ Current State of Higher Education System and PSPTN Review

▪ Vision and Aspirations

▪ Conclusion ▪ Appendices and glossary

Shift chapters

▪ Shift 1: Holistic Entrepreneurial and Balanced Graduates

▪ Shift 2: Higher Learning Talent Excellence

▪ Shift 3: Nation of Lifelong Learners

▪ Shift 4: Quality TVET Graduates ▪ Shift 5: Empowered Governance ▪ Shift 6: Financial Sustainability ▪ Shift 7: Innovation Ecosystem ▪ Shift 8: Global Prominence ▪ Shift 9: Globalized Online

Learning ▪ Shift 10: Transformed HE Delivery

CONFIDENTIAL

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

Written by MALAYSIANS!!

1. MALAYSIAN HIGHER EDUCATION IN BRIEF

13 Education Malaysia Offices (worldwide)

12

71,621 ACADEMICS (PhD 15,461) (21.58%) Public IHLs 33,199 (PhD 12,166) Private IHLs 24,476(PhD 3,249) Polytechnics 7256 (PhD 43) Community Colleges 2815 (PhD 3)

20 Public IHLs (12 Autonomy) 509 Private IHLs •405 Private Colleges •104 Private University/ Uni College *as of Feb,r 2015

33 Polytechnics 91 Community Colleges

International students Undergraduate level – 80,206 Post-graduate level – 27,812 TOTAL – 107,838 *as of 31 December 2014

Enrollment (1,253,501) Public IHLs (618,180 ) Private IHLs (524,350) Polytechnics (89 503) Community Colleges (21 468)

• Education Act (Amendment 1996) • National Council On Higher Education Act

(1996) • Universities and University Colleges Act

(Amendment 2012) • Private IHLs Act (1996) (Act 555) • MQA Act (2007)

5 Research Universities 4 MTUN (TVET) 11 Comprehensive Universities 14 HiCOE

Higher Education Blueprint 10 Shifts

HIGHER EDUCATION IN BRIEF

Source : Statistic of Higher Education of Malaysia 2013, MOE

ACHIEVEMENTS IN QS RANKINGS

#1 in OIC countries

RANKING QS INCLUDES 30,000 universities in the WORLD

Malaysia ranked 12th as top

destination for international

students UNESCO ,July 2014

Malaysia as a hub for Education

ACHIEVEMENTS IN SUBJECT RANKING

Source : QS World University Rankings by Subjects 2014

11 fields in the world TOP 100

=83

=54

=28

Source: QS World University Rankings by Subjects 2014

UPM

UKM UM

Top 50

*

*

*

*

UM USM

UPM UTM UM USM

*

*

*

UKM UPM USM UTM UM

UPM USM

UKM USM UM UPM

USMUM UKM UPM UTM

UKM UPM UTM UM USM

USM

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

UKM UM

USM=28

UKM

UM

UTM, UPM

*

*

USM UPM UKM UM

UM

UKM

*

*

Top 51-100Top 101-150Top 151-200

UKM UPM UM USM

USM UM

UPM

UM▪ Top 50 in 1

subject area ▪ 51-100 in

10 subject areas

▪ 101-150 in 5 subject areas

▪ 151-200 in 3 subject areas

PRELIMINARY

UIAM

UTPGlobal ranking for Agriculture

#56

19 fields in the world TOP 200

ACHIEVEMENTS OF LOCAL TALENTS

‘WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTUAL SCIENTIFIC MINDS’ – THOMSON REUTERS

Cited as top1% in

the world

2. Good practices:

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND

STUDENT MOBILITY

Quality assurance in Malaysia is governed under the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) Act 2007.

This Act allows for the implementation of the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) as a basis for quality assurance of higher education and as the reference point for the criteria and standards for national qualifications.

MQA is responsible for monitoring and overseeing the quality assurance practices and accreditation of national higher education programmes.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

This is important for purposes of credit transfer and recognition of degrees especially from international countriesThis is important for purposes of credit transfer and recognition of degrees especially from international countries

Established under the Kuala Lumpur Declaration 2008

Main objectives: •to promote networking among ASEAN QA agencies •to learn about each other's system of assuring quality in higher education •to consider the establishment of an ASEAN QA network

ASEAN QUALITY ASSURANCE NETWORK (AQAN)

Member countries Cambodia,Philippines,

Lao PDR,Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia,

Thailand

ASEAN MOBILITY PROGRAMME FOR STUDENTS (AIMS)

AIM:

To promote student mobility involving students from ASEAN countries, where programme costs are shared amongst stakeholders

+

COORDINATED BY SEAMEO-RIHEDIMPLEMENTATION:

•Duration of minimum one semester •Credits received for each subject registered at host university •Credit transfer system used : UMAP UCTS

• Engineering Services • Architectural Services • Accountancy Services • Nursing Services • Medical Practitioners • Dental Practitioners • Surveying Qualification • Tourism Professionals • Language/culture • Agriculture • Food & science technology

ASEAN MRAs

Mutual Recognition Arrangements

Blue: MRA performed Red: Not yet implemented Green: Implemented but not in the list

CREDIT TRANSFER

Source: AUN-ACTS secretariat

The credit conversion system of UCTS is based upon 60 UCTS points per year. The participating institutions will convert their average number of credits per year into 60 UCTS points. For Example: [Thai #1] 60 UCTS points ÷ 30 credits/year = 2.0 UCTS points [Thai #2] 60 UCTS points ÷ 37.5 credits/year = 1.6 UCTS points [Japan] 60 UCTS points ÷ 31 credits/ year = 1.935 UCTS points [Australia] 60 UCTS points ÷ 120 credits/year = 0.5 UCTS points [Europe] 1 UCTS point = 1 ECTS point Then, UCTS points per credit of each participating institution will be used for credit transfer from one to another institution

UMAP Credit Transfer System (UCTS)

ASEAN Credit Transfer System (ACTS)

Source: UMAP online

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

Source: AUN-ACTS secretariat

Universities Study field as of November 2014 Additional Study field from December 2014 onwards

1. Universiti Malaya (UM) International Business, Language/Culture No changes

2. Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

International Business, Food Science & Technology

Language/Culture

3. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

International Business Language /Culture

4. Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

Agriculture, Food Science & Technology, International Business, Hospitality &

Tourism, Language/Culture

No changes

5. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

Engineering Language/ Culture

6. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

Food Science & Technology, International Business, Hospitality &

Language/Culture

7. Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)

Economics No changes

MEDICAL & ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAMMES NOT INCLUDED

MALAYSIAN IHLs PARTICIPATION IN AIMS

YEAR

NO. OF STUDENTS

TOTAL2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT

INDONESIA 23 39 31 21 47 86 68 54 29 49 447

THAILAND 8 38 34 27 31 55 39 22 76 28 358

VIETNAM - - - - - - 2 - 14 - 16

BRUNEI - - - - - - 5 - 7 2 14

PHILIPPINES - - - - - - - - - - 0

JAPAN - - - - - - - - 20 21 41

TOTAL 31 77 65 48 78 141 114 76 146 100 876

NUMBER OF AIMS INBOUND AND OUTBOUND STUDENTS 2010-2014

MALAYSIA’S AIMS PROGRAM FIVE YEAR PLAN (2015-2019) YEARS PLANNING

2015 • Improve guidelines for Malaysia AIMS • Enhance efficiency of the Malaysia’s AIMS Committee • Increase awareness and promotion • Harmonize processes among participating universities

2016 • Host the 11th AIMS Review Meeting • Implement the updated Malaysia’s AIMS guidelines • Rope in industry to sponsor and provide employment to AIMS

graduates

2017 • Organize an annual AIMS alumni knowledge sharing symposium • Online monitoring, benchmarking, reporting systems

2018 • Expand AIMS program to Post Graduate Students • Organize International Conference on student mobility

2019 • Improve and sustain good practices in AIMS

26

TARGET OF STUDENTS FOR OUTBOUND 2015-2019

27

BUDGET ALLOCATION 2015-2019

28

We are committed to ensure

AIMS

•Students have to extend their duration of study (home university); •Students having narrow views on potential destinations(host university); •Lack of incentives for academic faculty to promote and support study abroad; •Lack of knowledge on partners’ universities •Course matching between universities and credit transfer •Political, economics, geographical challenges

CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES

• Higher education system must employ diverse strategies to promote international interactions among the indifferent as well as among the motivated.

• Recognize the Malaysian AIMS students’ learning experiences after they return in order to minimize them from having to extend their study duration.

• Improve and sustain the AIMS program so as to align and support harmonization of higher education in the ASEAN region

HIGHER EDUCATION WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE

IN SUPPORTING THE CONTINUED

ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF ASEAN

SUGGESTION: MALAYSIAN QUALIFICATION STATEMENT

➢ A supplement document that provides a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies a student pursued and successfully completed.

➢ We hope to encourage mobility and job employability

➢ What does the qualification statement offer to students:- 1. Provide students with information relating to their programme of study

that is both easily understood and comparable abroad. 2. Provides an accurate description of a student's academic curriculum

and competencies acquired during the period of study that may be relevant for further study and employment opportunities abroad.

➢The statement is written in English and is supplied automatically, free of charge to every student graduating from Malaysian IHLs.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Harmonization of curriculum

Development of standardization

Institution to institution recognition to allow for exchange of students and credit transfer

3. THE WAY FORWARD: CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Directory of interested universities for AIMS