ABEST21 e-News
No.123, July-September 2023
ABEST21 International
THE ALLIANCE ON BUSINESS EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP FOR TOMORROW,
a 21st century organization

URL: www.abest21.org TEL.+81-3-3498-6220 E-Mail: abest21international@abest21.org
Editor: Fumio ITOH

eNews No.123: Contents＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝I.

ABEST21 General Information･････････････････････････････････････････････ 1

II. “Assuring Quality for Tomorrow” ･････････････････････････････････････････ 11
III. ABEST21 Global Knowledge Network･･･････････････････････････････････････ 12

I. ABEST21 General Information＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

1. ABEST21 Office ReportJuly・03rd : Holding online meeting with Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), Malaysia
・10th : Holding the 43rd online meeting of ABEST21 Council for Human Resource Development
・19th : Conducting Online ABEST21 International PRT members’ Training Seminar 2023
August・03rd : Attending to Signing Ceremony of the MoU between MQA and ABEST21 International
・09th : Conducting Online ABEST21 International PRT Leaders’ Training Seminar 2023
・24th : Conducting Online Interview with Universitas Telkom, Indonesia
・28th : Conducting Online Interview with Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
・29th : Conducting Online Interview with PPM School of Management, Indonesia
・30th : Conducting Online Interview with Universitas Islam Sultan, Indonesia
September・01st : Conducting Online Interview with Naresuan University, Thailand
・06th-07th : Conducting Online Peer Review Visit with University of Tsukuba, Japan・11th : Conducting Online Interview with Universitas Udayana, Indonesia
・12th : Conducting Online Interview with Waseda University, Japan・13th-14th : Conducting Online Peer Review Visit with Hitotsubashi University, Japan
・19th : Conducting Online Interview with Univesitas Jenderal Soedirman, Indonesia
・20th-21st : Conducting Online Peer Review Visit with Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan1

・15th : Conducting Online Interview with Management & Science University, Malaysia
・26th-27th : Conducting Online Peer Review Visit with Perbanas Institute, Indonesia
・29th : Conducting Online Interview with Khon Kaen University, Thailand

2. Signing Ceremony between MQA and ABEST21 International

Le Meridien Hotel, PutraLe Mejaya, Malaysia

On August 3 2023, ABEST21 International signed the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding)with Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) represented by CEO Dato’ Professor Dr. Mohammad
Shatar bin Sabran at Le Meridian Hotel, Putrajaya, Malaysia in the presence of Deputy Minister Dato’
Haji Mohamad Yusof bin Apdal of Higher Education of Malaysia and First Secretary, Education andScience Attaché Mr. Yukiyoshi SAITO of Embassy of Japan in Malaysia, and Director General Professor
Dr. Azlinda binti Azman of Department of Higher Education of Malaysia. ABEST21 International Vice
President Professor Dr. Ali Khatibi, Senior Vice President, Management & Science University attended
to the ceremony on behalf of our President and CEO Professor Emeritus Dr. Fumio ITOH. The mainarea of co-operation covered by the memorandum are a) exchange of operation information, b)
exchange of information on status of accreditation, c) mutual understanding of approaches toenhance the understanding of quality assurance in higher education, d) quality system to ensure therole of both agencies, e) promotion of developmental opportunities for the staff of both agencies, f)
engaging reviewers from both parties, g) collaborative accreditation programs, h) sharing Good
Practice data base, etc. Some representative from ABEST21 International School members in
Malaysia attended to the ceremony also. Agenda of the ceremony was as follows;rd2

Welcoming Remarks
Professor Ir. Dr. Khairul Salleh bin Mohamed Shahari,
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Quality Assurance) of MQA
delivered welcoming remarks and explained about main
objective of the MoU, aiming to develop more cooperationin facilitating recognition of qualifications in the field ofquality assurance.

Introductory Speech
ABEST21 International Vice President Professor Ali
Khatibi, Senior Vice President, Management & Science
University, Malaysia delivered introductory speech andshared his experience of ABEST21 International
Accreditation from viewpoints of its applicant school andits peer reviewer.

Sharing Session
Chair)
Professor Dr. Zulkornain bin Yusop
ABEST21 International Accreditation Advisor
Former President and CEO Putra Business School, Malaysia
Panelists)
・Professor Dr. Ali Khatibi
ABEST21 International Vice President
Senior Vice President, Management & Science University
Malaysia
・Professor Dr. Syed Jamal Abdul Nasir Syed Mohamad
Dean, Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School,
Universiti Teknology MARA, Malaysia
・Ms. Norasikin Binti Yahya
Director, MQA Training Centre, Malaysia
At this session, they explained characteristic of ABEST21
International Accreditation system as well as MQA quality
Assurance system. Chair Prof. Zulkornain bin Yusop
featured concept of ABEST21 International “KAIZEN
Report” that help accredited school’s sustainable
development aiming in quality enhancement of education
and research activities based on SDG through “KAIZEN
Report” review process. Following with that, Dean
Professor Dr. Syed Jamal Abdul Nasir Syed Mohamad
3introduced the KAIZEN Report system and purpose of the
KAIZEN Report that aim is to confirm whether the KAIZEN
issues found in the analysis of the Self-Check/SelfEvaluation Report are solved according to the Action Plans.
Then, Professor Dr. Ali Khatibi explained that ABEST21
International is responsible for assuring the society thatthe quality of education at accredited schools is enhanced
through PDCA cycles. After then, Ms. Norasikin Binti Yahya
introduced their training system for their applicant schooland so on. At the end of this session, ABEST21
International Vice President Associate Professor Teguh
Dartanto, Ph.D., Dean, Faculty of Economics and Business,
Universitas Indonesia presented a commemorative item tothese speakers.

National anthem / Prayer recitation

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Signing Ceremony of the MoU
Introductory Speeches
CEO Dato’ Professor Dr. Mohammad Shatar bin
Sabran, MQA delivered introductory speech andexplained about MQA quality assurance system and its
characteristic. With the vision to be a global authority on
quality assurance of higher education and the mission to
put in place a system of quality assurance that isrecognized internationally, he said that the MQA is set tochart new boundaries in higher education quality
assurance.
First Secretary, Education and Science Attaché Mr.
Yukiyoshi SAITO of Embassy of Japan in Malaysia
delivered his congratulatory speech. This year is the 50th
anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and cooperation.
Since 1973, ASEAN and Japan have built a cooperative
relationship for peace and development in the region. In
particular, people-to-people exchanges have been thefoundation for the strong partnership based on “heart-toheart understanding.” He ended his speech by hoping that
this MoU will further develop the ABEST21 International Accreditation as well as the collaboration
between Japan and Malaysia in higher education.
Deputy Minister Dato’ Haji Mohamad Yusof bin
Apdal of Higher Education of Malaysia delivered
congratulatory speech. He is delighted to know that MoU
will be signed between the MQA and ABEST21 in order tofacilitate recognition of qualifications in the field of quality
assurance. He sincerely hopes that this MoU will further
develop the MQA and ABEST21 Quality Assurance as wellas the collaboration between Malaysia and Japan in higher
education to create a new chapter of bilateral ties between
the two countries.
Signing Ceremony of the MoU
After then, the Signing Ceremony of the MoU between MQA represented by MQA CEO Dato’
Professor Dr. Mohammad Shatar bin Sabran and ABEST21 International represented by ABEST21
Vice President Professor Dr. Ali Khatibi, Management & Science University, Malaysia in the presenceof Deputy Minister Dato’ Haji Mohamad Yusof bin Apdal of Higher Education of Malaysia and First
Secretary, Education and Science Attaché Mr. Yukiyoshi SAITO of Embassy of Japan in Malaysia,
and Director General Professor Dr. Azlinda binti Azman of Department of Higher Education of
Malaysia.

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At the end of the ceremony, Assistant to Mr. Shigemi OKAYASU presented memorable gift to them.
These participants have a get- together to communicate and to know each other well. Details
about the ceremony was reported to ABEST21 International President and CEO Professor Emeritus
Fumio ITOH that had given up to attend there because of the Covid attack on him after recovery.
We sincerely appreciate CEO Dato’ Professor Dr.
Mohammad Shatar bin Sabran and all MQA colleagues’
time and efforts for holding such a memorable ceremony.
We really hope we will work together for enhancing
management education in Malaysia and Japan.

<Appendix>
The signing ceremony was covered in the BULLETING TV3:
MQA, ABEST21 perkukuh kerjasama pendidikan tinggi Malaysia-Jepun | BULETIN TV3 Malaysia

63. New Deans
Dean Prof. Dr. Naziruddin Abdullah
Universiti Kuala Lumpur Business School, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
UniKL Business School was established in 2008 under the name of
the University Kuala Lumpur School of Entrepreneurship or UniKL ISE.
The new name was officially institutionalized in 2011. UniKL Business
School has developed programs of study that are unique and focus on
the needs of the industry and national development. The mission
statement for all programs offered by the University Kuala Lumpur
supports the larger mission of the university in relation to the community,society, and the environment. This is essential for the university tonurture all-encompassed graduates who are socially conscious andintellectually prepared to serve the nation.
In designing the syllabus and program structure, great care has been taken to ensure that the course
contents are geared towards developing people with skills based on ethics and values that will
empower the community, society, and the environment. To this end, most of the assignments givenby the lecturers are in the form of group assignments where students are taught and inspired towork in a team, which will result in creating leadership, ethics, and communication skills.
Apart from that, students and staff are encouraged to join various CSR programs conducted by theStudent Development and Campus Lifestyle (SDCL) Division. Some examples of the activities
conducted were feeding the homeless, donation drives for orphans and children of the poor, help
repair and renovate dilapidated houses for the poor etc. In addition, the UniKL Care is formed topromote university activity in community engagement. Emphasis is given on activities that have highimpact elements; an example of which is helping out flood victims in north Malaysia as Malaysia is
prone to monsoon season at the end of the year.
Equally important, the university also provides a platform for students to get themselves exposed tointernational learning environment through the International Exchange Program (ISEM). This will
enable them to go to the designated foreign universities and learned not only academic’s subjects
but also foreign language, ethics, and cultures. The exchange program also provides us with theopportunity to host foreign students in our campuses, namely the QM City Campus and Gurney
Campus. They, the foreign students, are able to mingle with the local students through groupassignments and other academic and extra-curricular activities.
In order to facilitate students to learn, work, and engage in community service, the university offers
several elective subjects of which Community Service is one of them. In these subjects, students aretaught, among others, how to conduct social-related activities such as feeding the homeless,donation drives for orphans and children of the poor, and helping the single-parent.
With the above-mentioned initiatives and programs, UniKL provides a holistic and conducive
environment for the local and international students to churn out their potential to the maximum,
which in turn contributes to the nation building. Indeed, this, in one way or the other, serves theultimate objective of the existence of UniKL and UniKL Business School, respectively.
7

Dean Arcadius Conraad Mahendra Kristyastoko Datu, Ph.D.
PPM School of Management, Indonesia
A startups enthusiast, Mahendra enjoys working in the fields ofBusiness Development and Innovation. Mahendra's professional work
began as an apprentice at the Sooke-Jordan River Chamber ofCommerce, BC, Canada in early 1990s for the Youth Needs Assessment
sponsored by Montreal-based Jeunesse Canada Monde. Between 19941995 Mahendra undertook multi-courses on global media andcommunication in Chicago, Sweden, Finland, The Netherland, andLeningrad-Russia. In 1998 Mahendra represented NUS Singapore at
the Harvard Project for Asia and International Relations, and in 1999
Mahendra once again represented Singapore at the World BusinessDialogue Forum (OFW) in Cologne, Germany. With The Asian Banker
Journal, Mahendra published the Country Report: Indonesian Banking - Reconstructing the Road to
Recovery in Singapore in 1999.
March 2010 Mahendra was a panel member at the Public Governance System (PGS) Forum organizedby the Institute of Solidarity in Asia in Manila, the Philippines, and a delegate at the Palladium Asia
Pacific Summit and Public PGS Forum also in Manila months later. In March 2015 Mahendra
undertook the Advanced Leadership Training at the Mid Pacific Center in Hawaii. June 2016, adelegate at the Young Leaders International organized by FSF in The Hague, the Netherlands. By
November 2016 Mahendra undertook the Professional Development Program at Harvard University,
held in Cambridge, MA, on Strategy and Innovation, followed by a similar program at Stanford
University - CS in held in its Palo Alto campus, CA, on April 2018. In Jan-Feb 2023 Mahendra join
Stanford CS again at its Palo Alto campus for IMPROV Training.
Mahendra obtained his graduate degrees from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Mahendra as a former oversee new businesses development, and an advisor to several public-listedcompanies. He is also regular columnist at major newspapers, and works on few startups. In July
2023, Mahendra has been obtained as Dean of PPM School of Management Indonesia.
"Continuous improvement is for every organization, including the higher education institution. That's- in sofat - is our response to fast changing technology advancement that affects all organization.
To stay relevant is the important key, and to go there can only be done by continuously making
improvement day by day to make sure this improvement undertaking will answer every challenge
the world gives to the organization. The ABEST21 program helps us walking the pathway ahead ofus, and to make us staying both relevant and competitive. " (AC Mahendra K Datu, Dean - PPM
School of Management, Jakarta, Indonesia).

84. New School Members
Banking and Finance Academy of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan
Acting Deputy Rector Dr. Sherzod Khannaev
Established in 1996 by a presidential decree, the Academy of
Banking and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan has emerged as a
distinguished institution in a relatively short span. With the unwavering
support of the government, it has transformed into a modern hub forhigher education and cutting-edge research.
Over the years, the Academy has nurtured more than 6,000 master'slevel students and over 12,000 students through its Faculty ofProfessional Development. Currently, it boasts a student body of 1,383
individuals, guided by a dedicated faculty of 47 members. The
institution's leadership is orchestrated by a Rector, supported by three deputy rectors overseeing
Academic Affairs, Research and International Cooperation, as well as Financial and Economic Affairs.
Furthermore, the Academy comprises three Deans, seven academic Departments, along with vitalunits including the Quality Assurance Department, Compliance Department, Industry Relations andInternships Department, International Relations Department, Research Department, Academic
Department, and Accounting Department.
The Academy's commitment to excellence in education is evident through its continuous
enhancements in pedagogical methods, adoption of cutting-edge educational technologies, and theintegration of interactive teaching approaches. This is complemented by international exposure
through internships in foreign countries. These initiatives have propelled the Academy to theforefront of the financial education landscape in Uzbekistan.
In addition to its master's programs, the Academy also offers bachelor's degree programs catering
to students interested in the banking and finance sector. These programs include Bachelor of Banking
and Auditing, Bachelor of Finance and Financial Technologies, Bachelor of Accounting and Auditing,and Bachelor of Economics. Typically spanning four years, these bachelor's programs are available
in both full-time and part-time formats, with instruction in Uzbek and Russian.
Expanding its academic horizons, the Academy provides a diverse array of undergraduate andpostgraduate programs. Master's degree offerings encompass Master of Business Administration(MBA) and Master of Science (MSc) programs across specialized fields such as Capital Market andStock Exchange, Public Financial Control and Audit, Monetary Regulation of the Economy, Bank
Accounting, Audit, and Control, Management of Insurance Companies, Pension Fund Management,
Tax and Taxation, Project Management, and Islamic Finance and Banking. MBA programs generally
span two years, while MSc programs require 14 months. Both full-time and part-time formats areavailable, with instruction offered in Uzbek and English.
In accordance with the Uzbek educational system, postgraduate studies are divided into two
categories: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Science (DSc). These programs, available inpart-time and full-time modes, span up to three years. Specializations include "Finance, Money
Circulation, and Credit," "Accounting, Economic Analysis, and Audit," and "Digital Economy and9International Digital Integration."
Beyond traditional academic programs, the Academy plays a pivotal role in the retraining and skill
development of managerial personnel within Uzbekistan's banking and financial institutions.
Dedicated to delivering high-quality education and professional development opportunities, theAcademy is actively pursuing international recognition through accreditation from esteemedorganizations like ABEST21, AACSB, and BGA. This commitment further underscores the institution's
dedication to global educational standards and excellence.

5. Holding the ABEST21 International Annual Meeting 2024
The ABEST21 International Annual Meeting 2024 is going
to be held on 18th and 19th of March, 2024 at International
Conference Hall at Aoyama Gakuin University (planned) inTokyo, Japan.
1)ABEST21 International Annual Meeting 2024
(1)Date:March 18th (Monday) – 19th (Tuesday)(2)Time:10:00 – 18:00 (Tokyo Time)(3)Venue:
International Conference Hall, Aoyama Gakuin University, 4-4-25 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku,Tokyo,
JAPAN, 150-8366(4)Program:
・ABEST21 International Accreditation Certificate-granting Ceremony 2024
・ABEST21 International KAIZEN Award-granting Ceremony 2024
・Refreshment2)Optional TourTBA
Further details will be updated to our web-site below soon.
URL: https://www.abest21.org/
We look forward to seeing you in Tokyo next March.
Contact Information
Global Knowledge Network Unit, ABEST21 International
5-4-29 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
Tel:+81-(0)3-3498-6220 /Fax:+81(0)3-3498-6221/E-mail:2021abest21-pr@abest21.org

10II. “Assuring Quality for Tomorrow”＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

1. The online PRT members’ Training Seminar 2023 (July 19)
ABEST21 International Online PRT Training
Seminar 2023 was held on Wednesday, July 19th.
First of all, our ABEST21 International President and
CEO Professor Emeritus Dr. Fumio ITOH talked about
ABEST21 International Accreditation System andresponsibilities of Peer Review Team (PRT). Then, forthis year, we invited 3 speakers to explain the Peer
Review Process of each different category of PAA &QIS, SCR and KZR. Associate Professor Yudi Fernando,
Ph.D., Universitas Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia talked about PAA & QIS, Assistant Professor Dr. Hen
Kai Wah, Tunghai University, Taiwan talked about SCR and Associate Professor Danaipong
Chetchosak, Ph.D., Khon Kaen university, Thailand talked about KZR. They explained required roleof PRT based on their prosperous experiences as members of ABEST21 PRT. In addition, ABEST21
International Office explained the Peer Review Schedule and informed that the important information
on reviewing the reports is shared on the exclusive Website for Peer Review Team 2023. Last of all,
Q & A session was held.

2. The online PRT Leader’s Training Seminar 2023 (August 9)
ABEST21 International Online PRT Leaders’Training Seminar 2023 was held on Wednesday,
August 9th.
Firstly, our ABEST21 International President and
CEO Professor Emeritus Dr. Fumio ITOH spoke on
the ABEST21 International Accreditation system
and Peer Review Process. Secondly, AssistantProfessor Dr. Hen Kai Wah explained the
responsibilities of the PRT Leaders including aboutcompilation of the PRT Comments, Chair of the Online PRV/Online Interview, presenting the PRT
Review Result in the Peer Review Committee and Accreditation Committee and so on. Then ABEST21
International Office informed the Peer Review Schedule of PRT Leaders and noticed about thedesignated format of the Reports to be submitted. Lastly, the Q & A session was conducted.

3. Online ABEST21 International Accreditation Seminar for
Accreditation 2024
Online Accreditation Seminar for Accreditation 2024 is scheduled as follows:(Tokyo time)1) The PAA Seminar : Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 14:00-15:30
2) The QIS Seminar : Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 14:00-15:30
3) The SCR Seminar : Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 14:00-15:30
4) The KZR Seminar : Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 14:00-15:30
Detailed information about the seminar can be confirmed on the bulletin board of the ABEST21
11

International website (www.abest21.org).

III. ABEST21 Global Knowledge Network＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

1. The Council for Nurturing Global Management Professionals
The 43nd meeting of Japan Council for
Nurturing Global Management Professionals washeld online on Monday, 10th July, 2023. Mr. Takuya
MIYAGAWA, Assistant Director of the Office forProfessional Graduate School, Technical Education
Division, Higher Education Bureau, MEXT, talked
about the recent topics at the Subcommittee of theCentral Council for Education such as Innovative
strategies for higher education in Japan. At the
Q&A session after his presentation, participants
actively discussed the development of joint-degree program with overseas business schools,
introduction of data science program, and so on.

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