The document discusses higher education harmonization efforts in Malaysia. It outlines Malaysia's National Higher Education Strategic Plan from 2007-2020 and Higher Education Blueprint from 2015-2025, which aim to drive institutions towards world-class status and deliver holistic, balanced graduates. It also describes Malaysia's involvement in international initiatives like the ASEAN Quality Assurance Network and ASEAN Mobility Programme for Students to promote student mobility and credit transfer across ASEAN universities. While there has been progress, challenges remain regarding student participation and course alignment between universities. Recommendations include developing a Malaysian Qualification Statement and further harmonizing curriculums to support continued regional economic integration through higher education.

1. COUNTRY CASES ON
HIGHER EDUCATION HARMONIZATIO
MALAYSIA
Professor Dr. Asma Ismail
Director General of Higher Education
Malaysia

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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
Breakthrough
s in
Technology
Research
Universities

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. Introduction
• The merger of Ministries in 2013 to ensure
seamlessness
• Align Malaysian Education blueprint 2013-2025 and Malaysia
Education Blueprint (Higher Education) 2015-2025

9. 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

10. 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!!

11. 1.
MALAYSIAN HIGHER EDUCATION IN BRIEF

12. 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)
• MQAAct (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

13. ACHIEVEMENTS IN QS RANKINGS
#1 in OIC countries
RANKING QS INCLUDES 30,000universities in the WORLD

14. Malaysia ranked
12th as top
destination for
international
students
UNESCO ,July 2014
Malaysia as a hub for Education

15. ACHIEVEMENTS IN SUBJECT RANKING
Source : QS World University Rankings by Subjects 2014
11 fields in the world TOP 100
=83
=54
=28

16. 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
UTP
Global ranking
for Agriculture
#56
19 fields in the world TOP 200

17. ACHIEVEMENTS OF LOCAL TALENTS
‘WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTUAL
SCIENTIFIC MINDS’ – THOMSON REUTERS
Cited as
top1% in
the
world

18. 2.
Good practices:
QUALITY ASSURANCE
AND
STUDENT MOBILITY

19. 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

20. 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

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

22. • 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. TARGET OF STUDENTS FOR
OUTBOUND 2015-2019
27

28. BUDGET ALLOCATION
2015-2019
28
We are
committed
to ensure
AIMS

29. •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 WIL
L PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE
IN SUPPORTING THE
CONTINUED
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
OF ASEAN

30. 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.

31. 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