Where can I study in Malaysia?

by StudyMalaysia.com on November 19, 2018 | Why Study in Malaysia, Top Stories

The higher education system in Malaysia

Besides an overview of the higher education system in Malaysia, you will be introduced to the types of higher educational institutions in Malaysia and what you need to know before applying to a college or university.

Let’s begin by getting to know the education governing authorities in this country.

Education Governing Authorities

The Malaysian education structure can be divided into pre-tertiary and tertiary education levels. The former is governed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) (or Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia in Malay) while the latter comes under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).

Previously, education came under only one ministry, namely, MOE. In 2004, MOHE was created to manage the higher education sector which was fast expanding. Subsequently, both ministries were merged in 2013 to facilitate the smooth implementation of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025. On 28 July 2015, the government once again reestablished MOHE.

Organisational Structure of the Ministry of Higher Education

The following departments and sectors come under MOHE:

• The Department of Higher Education
  • Public Higher Education Management Sector
  • Private Higher Education Management Sector
• The Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education
• The Higher Education Management Sector
• The Higher Education Development Sector
• Malaysian Qualifications Agency
• National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN)
• National Professor Council
• Higher Education Leadership Academy
• Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation
• All public universities in Malaysia

Education Legislation

The legal regulatory framework that governs the provision of education in Malaysia aiming at ensuring quality education to all, well-managed institutions, include:

• The Education Act 1996
• The Private Higher Education Institutions Act 1996 (Act 555)
• The National Council on Higher Education Institution Act 1996
• The Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007 (replacing the previous Act namely, the National Accreditation Act Board 1996 which has been repealed)
• The Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Act 2009 (Act A 1342)
• The National Higher Education Fund Corporation Act 1997
• Universiti Teknologi MARA Act 1976 (Act 173)
• The National Higher Education Fund Corporation 1997 (Act 566)
• The Private Higher Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act 2009 (Act A1352)

The Education Act 1996 covers pre-tertiary levels of education under the national education system which comprises preschool, primary, and secondary education as well as post-secondary education. The other eight acts regulate the provision of higher education in Malaysia.

Academic Qualifications

Malaysia has a well-defined internationally recognised qualification framework. The qualifications awarded by all approved HEIs in Malaysia are governed by the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF). The Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007 provides for the establishment of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) whose main role is to implement MQF. MQA is an internationally recognised qualification assurance body, and a member of the ASEAN Quality Assurance Network (AQAN) and other networks; while MQF benchmarks against the standards of the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Europe (Bologna process and EQF).

MQF specifies the minimum number of credits required for each level of programme. That means that students needs to achieve the following minimum number of credits (indicated in brackets) before an academic qualification can be awarded to them by the higher educational institution at which they are studying, e.g. certificate (60 credits), diploma (90 credits), bachelor degree (120 credits), and taught master degree (40 credits). Master and doctoral degrees obtained by research do not have credit values.

The various levels of higher education qualifications based on MQF are as follows:

Source: MQA

The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education)

Launched on 7 April 2015, the Ministry of Education developed the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education) or the MEB (HE) with the aim of evolving in order to stay abreast of global trends in education. Through its system aspirations and 10 shifts, the outcomes of the Blueprint will benefit all higher education students in Malaysia, both local and international.

System Aspirations for Higher Education

The MEB (HE) covers five system aspirations for higher education, that is, to improve:

• Access – to increase access to and enrolment in higher education mainly through growth in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), private higher learning institutions (HLIs) and online learning;

• Quality – to improve the quality of graduates by increasing the current 75% graduate employability rate to more than 80% in 2025, to improve the quality of institutions with the aim of placing one university in Asia’s Top 25, two in the Global Top 100, and four in the Global Top 200, and to improve the quality of the overall system by raising its U21 ranking for research output from 36th out of 50 countries to the top 25, and to increase the number of international students in HLIs from 108,000 today to 250,000 students in HLIs and schools by 2025;

• Equity – to ensure that all Malaysians have the opportunity to fulfill their potential regardless of their background, for example, improving the enrolment rate and completion rate of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and communities;

• Unity – to ensure that enrolment in HLIs reflects the mix of Malaysia’s ethnicities with the aim of creating an education system that provides students with shared values, shared experiences, and common aspirations by embracing diversity; and

• Efficiency - to maximise the return on investment in higher education and to maintain the current levels of government expenditure per student across public institutions; and to rise from 44th out of the 50 countries in the U21 output ranking that covers research, enrolment, and employability to be in the top 25 by 2025.

10 Shifts

To achieve these aspirations as stated in the above, the MEB (HE) outlines 10 Shifts that will spur continued excellence and transformation in the higher education system.

The objectives of each Shift are:

Shift No. 1 - Holistic, Entrepreneurial and Balanced Graduates

To develop holistic, entrepreneurial and balanced graduates in line with the National Education Philosophy who can contribute towards the betterment of the family, society, nation and global community. These qualities are re ected by six primary attributes – ethics, and spirituality, leadership skills, national identity, language pro ciency, thinking skills and knowledge.

Shift No. 2 - Talent Excellence

To develop an academic community that is relevant and respected in both the local and international community by to attracting, developing, and retaining excellent talent both locally and internationally.

Shift No. 3 - Nation of Lifelong Learners

To make learning and relearning an integral part of the Malaysian way of life through a well-coordinated, high quality lifelong learning system; and by establishing learning communities in every organisation.

Shift No. 4 - Quality TVET Graduates

To be a premier higher education TVET provider that develops skilled talent to meet the growing and changing demands of industry, and promotes individual opportunities for career development.

Shift No. 5 - Financial Sustainability

To establish a sustainable nancing system for Malaysia’s higher education that is focused on outcomes and performance that involves:

• Continued government investment of a large portion of the national budget in the higher education system for a return on investment that is comparable to that of peer industries

• Diverse sources of funding for public and private HLIs to allow continuous improvement in the quality of their programmes, and more prudent and innovative use of their resources; and

• More targeted support for socio-economically disadvantaged students to make enrolment more affordable and accessible to everyone who is eligible for higher education

• Continued government investment of a large portion of the national budget in the higher education system for a return on investment that is comparable to that of peer industries

• Diverse sources of funding for public and private HLIs to allow continuous improvement in the quality of their programmes, and more prudent and innovative use of their resources; and

• More targeted support for socio-economically disadvantaged students to make enrolment more affordable and accessible to everyone who is eligible for higher education

Shift No. 6 - Empowered Governance

To develop a portfolio of fully- autonomous and semi-autonomous HLIs that can operate freely within the regulatory framework established by the government.

Shift No. 7 - Innovation Ecosystems

To facilitate the development of innovation ecosystems in a few national priority areas through new collaboration models across academia, industry, government and community, in order to fuel the nation’s economic growth.

Shift No. 8 - Global prominence

To develop Malaysia as an international education that is valued by students for its competitive advantage in providing value for money higher education and that balances quality and affordability with the added value of rich cultural experiences. A target enrolment of 200,)00 international students by 2020 and 250,000 by 2025 is the aim.

Shift No. 9 - Globalised Online Learning

To be a premier education hub through GOL by increasing the of quality education for Malaysians and the global community.

Shift No. 10 - Transformed HE Delivery

To transform the higher education system beginning with the transformation of the Ministry through transparent delivery, with effectiveness and ef ciency levels comparable to that of the private sector. Subsequently, the Ministry seeks to catalyse transformation among private and public HLIs.

All these transformation efforts will benefit local students and international students as well.

Higher educational institutions in Malaysia

There are two categories of higher education institutions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia:

• Government-funded public universities, polytechnics, community colleges and public colleges

• Private higher educational institutions (i.e. institutions not funded by the government) which include:

  • non-university status institutions such as private colleges

  • university status institutions such as university colleges

  • foreign university branch campuses e.g. Monash University Malaysia and The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus

MOHE is directly responsible for the operation and performance of public HEIs, whereas private HEIs are guided by MOHE’s policy guidelines and objectives.

International students coming to study in Malaysia can apply to public universities and private higher educational institutions. Let’s take a closer look at the institutions that fall under these categories:

There are many institutions for international students like you to choose from. To fnd out which one suits you best in terms of your study interests and budget, read the next section on ‘Applying to a college or university – what you need to know’

Source:
- jpt.moe.gov.my (Ministry of Higher Education)
- Education Guide Malaysia (14th edition), published by Challenger Concept (StudyMalaysia)

Applying to a college or university

Need help deciding which college or university is best for you? Here’s a handy list of items you need to know and consider before applying to study in a HEI in Malaysia.

• Course fees

  Before you enrol, ensure that the programme meets your budget - don't forget to cost in accommodation, textbooks and other expenditure

• Accreditation & Recognition

  Make sure that the institution is approved my MOHE, the course accredited by MQA, and the qualifications you obtain upon graduation enables you to pursue the career you want

• Internship

  What kind of internship programme does the institution offer?

• Qualification

  Who awards the qualification? Does the qualification allow you to pursue the career you want?

• Location

  Would you prefer to have the live-in experience of a big university campus or the buzz of a campus in a big city?

• Entry requirements

  Every institution has a different set of entry requirements – check them out before applying

• Facilities

  What kind of facilities does the institution offer?

• International student services

  What kind of support does the institution offer to international students?

• Entertainment & Recreation

  Besides going for classes, studying, and working on your assignments, what kind of student life do you picture yourself having? Does the institution offer you the lifestyle you want?

• Medium of instruction
  The majority of undergraduate and postgraduate courses are conducted in English – make sure you meet the English proficiency requirements

• Curriculum

  Check what subjects are offered – two bachelor degrees with the same name can have very different curricula

• Assessment

  What's the assessment method for the programme?

Source: Study in Malaysia Handbook 10th Ed.

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