CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION

CHALLENGES FACING
HIGHER EDUCATION
Prof. Dr. Rujhan Mustafa
Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)
MQA’s Vision and Mission
The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) aspires
to be a global authority on quality assurance of
higher education and the mission to put in place a
system of quality assurance that is recognised
internationally, the MQA is set to chart new
boundaries in higher education quality assurance.
OUTLINE
Malaysia’s Quality Assurance Milestones
MQA’s Core Activity
Challenges facing Higher Education
MALAYSIA’S QUALITY ASSURANCE
MILESTONES
National Accreditation Board (Lembaga Akreditasi
Negara, LAN) was established for QA of programmes in
the private higher education sector
Quality Assurance Division (QAD) in the Ministry was
setup for public universities
MQA
was
established
under
the
Malaysian
Qualifications Agency Act 2007 (The merger of LAN
and the QAD)
Responsible to quality assure both private and public
universities
MQA’S CORE ACTIVITIES
1
To implement the
Malaysian
Qualifications
Framework (MQF)
3
To quality assure
higher education
programmes and
institutions
2
To develop standards
and criteria, generic
and by disciplines, as
reference for
conferment of awards
4
To perform function as
a national information
centre-registry of
accredited
qualifications in the
Malaysian
Qualifications Register
(MQR)
5
Others : Self accrediting inst.
certification, Rating
(SETARA) &
Academic
performance audit
CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
Recognition of Qualifications
National vs Regional Framework
Assessors / Experts / Auditors
Online Application / Accreditation
Process
CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
(cont).
Challenges 1: Global Evolvement
New learning, ICT as a tools, Blended Learning, MOOCs
• Issues: Standard as a tight regulations or minimum best
practices
• Expectations: To allow providers to be innovative and
creative in delivery of the programmes
• Assessors/Reviewers
accommodative
must
be
ready
to
relearn
and
CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
(cont).
Challenges 2: Recognition of Qualifications
•
International Confidence towards the quality of programmes
•
Awareness on the importance of recognition
– In Malaysia: to be recognised by the funding agency and the
professional bodies, and also to be recognised to serve the
government sector
•
Compatibility of qualifications across border
– Issues: 3 years programme in Malaysia (120 credit) WAS NOT
recognised by the Indonesian government as a Bachelors Degree
– Common denominator
– Multiple modes and exits
•
Mobility of Student
CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
(cont).
Challenges 3: National vs Regional Framework
• Different level of framework
– Hurdles to students mobility and credit transfer
• Urgent needs for a common dominator
– Establishment of ASEAN Qualifications
Framework (AQRF)
• Alignment between regional
network)
– Multilateral vs bilateral
framework
Reference
(network
of
CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
(cont).
Challenges 4: Prior Experiential Learning
• Slow achiever, low academic qualifications, vast working
experience
• In Malaysia: Introduction of APEL
• A new mode for multiple entry
– 19 years for Certificate, 20 years for Diploma, 21 years
for Degree, 30 years for Masters
• Multiple exits
– 2+2, Flexible and Unique but Costly System “Shift Classes
for Shift Workers”, Home learning
CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
(cont).
Challenges 5: Assessors / Experts / Auditors
• Old schools : 100% must comply to the standards, no room
for changes
• New expectations : must be accommodative and alert to
the new systems
– Know how vs Perceptions
• Certify according to the performance
– Top Rank : Leading Assessors
– Lowest Rank : to be blacklisted
CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
(cont).
Challenges 6: Online Application / Online
Accreditation Process
• E-accreditation : from submission to the approval
• Ecosystem within the providers (Higher Education
Institutions)
• Compatible System