BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:※本資料は「ブリーフィング資料:マレーシア高等教育の質保証」の英語版で、機構の評価事業部国際課が作成したものです。日本語版の参考にしてください。

Quality Assurance in Higher Education * This briefing document is a English version of "ブリーフィング資料:マレーシア高
等教育の質保証" or “BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA: Quality Assurance in Higher
Education” which was made by the International Affairs Division of NIAD-UE in

Ⅰ. The Higher Education Systemcooperation with Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). Please use this asa reference of its Japanese version.

(1) Jurisdiction over education
The Malaysian education system encompasses education beginning from pre-school to university. It is
under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education1.
(2) School education system and types of higher education courses
The Education Act of 1996 stipulates that the National Education System shall comprise five levels:
pre-school education; primary education; secondary education; post-secondary education; and higher
education. The six years of primary education are compulsory education.There are three main streams inupper secondary education: academic (science/arts); technical and vocational; and religious. Students goingon to a university or university college are required to complete a 1–2 year pre-university programme (Form62, Matriculation3, or Foundation4). A student will therefore typically receive 12-13 years of education inorder to be accepted into a university (Table 1).
Institutions of higher education in Malaysia provide courses for awarding certificate, diploma, bachelor,masters, and doctoral qualifications within the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) (see III (1) Table 3
below).
Table 1: Types of educational courses and standard learning years
Standard years learning
Typical education provider
Pre-school education
1–2
Kindergarten
Primary education
6
Primary school[compulsory education]
Secondary education-Lower secondary
3
Secondary school-Upper secondary2
Post-secondary education
1–2 (Depends on course)-Form 6
Secondary school-Matriculation
Matriculation college, public higher education-Foundation
institution
Higher education institution
Higher education-Certificate
1.5-2College-Diploma
2-3College, University College, University-Advanced Diploma
1
College, University College, University-Bachelor
3–5
University, University college-Masters
1–2
University, University college-Doctoral
2–3
University, University college(Prepared by the NIAD-UE)(3) System for establishment of higher education provider
1

Previously, there were two ministries that have jurisdiction over education in Malaysia. Higher education was under the responsibility of
the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), which was established in 2004, while pre-higher education (pre-school to secondary education)
was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE). Starting from May 2013, both ministries have merged and known as Ministryof Education. The ministry is responsible to oversee all types of education, starting from pre-school education until higher education in
Malaysia.
2
Form 6 is a pre-university programme for students who have completed upper secondary education and intend to go on to a university oruniversity college. It is a 2 year programme where students will have to sit for the national exam, which is the Malaysian Higher School
Certificate (in Malay is Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia, STPM). Form 6 is provided by the secondary schools.
3
Like Form 6, matriculation is a pre-university programme for students who have completed upper secondary education and intend to go
on to a university or university college. Unlike Form 6, it is open to ethnic Malays (Bumiputera), and is provided by the matriculation colleges
and public higher education institutions.
4Foundation is provided by the higher education institutions with degree pathway.

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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The establishment of higher education provider is legislated by the Universities and University Colleges
Act 1971 (Act 30) and the Private Higher Education Institutions Act 1996 (Act 555). The polytechnics andcommunity colleges are legislated by the Education Act 1996 (Act 550). The establishment differs according
to the types of the institution. For public higher education provider, the establishment is through the act ofthe parliament. For private higher education provider, the establishment is upon approval by the Ministry of
Education.
(4) Types and number of institutions of higher education
Public institutions of higher education consist of public universities, polytechnics, community colleges,
and teacher training institutes, all of which are government-funded. Private institutions of higher educationconsist of private universities, university colleges, foreign university branch campuses, and colleges. The
number of each type of institution is shown in Table 2. There are over one million students enrolled in all
institutions of higher education combined, of which more than 70,000 are foreign students5.
Table 2: Types and number of institutions of higher education6(Figures in parentheses are the number included. As of November, 2013)
Type
Institutions
Confer degrees7
Universities
20
Research universities( 5)
Yes
Comprehensive universities( 4)
PublicFocused universities(11)
Polytechnics
32
No
Community colleges
86
No
Universities
35
Yes
University
colleges25
Yes
Private8
Foreign university branch campuses
7
Yes
Colleges
418
No(Prepared by the NIAD-UE)
Public universities, which are government-funded, are categorized into three groups: research universities,
comprehensive universities, and focused universities.
a) Research universities are public universities recognized by the national government in 2006 to
become leading research and educational institutions. They receive a higher subsidy for
research. As of November 2013, there are five research universities: University of Malaya,
University of Science, Malaysia, National University of Malaysia, Putra University, Malaysia, andUniversity of Technology, Malaysia.
b) Comprehensive universities are public universities that offer a wide range of education in
pre-undergraduate, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes.
c) Focused universities are public universities that offer education focused on specific fields such asengineering/technical, education, management, and defense.
Private universities and university colleges are degree granting institutions. Private universities anduniversity colleges are able to confer degrees at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as
5

See Ministry of Education, “Malaysia Higher Education Statistics 2011”
University needs to have 100 percent homegrown curriculum, at least 80 percent permanent lectures, 30 percent operational cost for
R&D, and minimum 20 percent foreign students. University college, on the other hand, needs to have at least 60 percent homegrown
curriculum, 60 percent permanent lectures, 10 percent foreign students, and R&D is not compulsory for university college. Homegrown
curriculum is 100% developed by the Malaysian higher education institutions themselves. For foreign university’s branch campus, thecurriculum is from the parent university and they can offer homegrown programme subject to the approval from the parent university.
7
The Universities and University Colleges Act (1971) stipulates that universities, university colleges, and foreign university branch campuses
are institutions that offer pre-university courses, bachelor courses, and graduate (masters and doctoral) courses, and have the power toconfer degrees. Institutions of higher education not stipulated in the aforementioned act do not have the power to confer degrees.
8
Number of institutions listed on the search page for private institutions of higher education (“SENARAI IPTS/LIST OF IPTS”) on the websiteof the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education. <http://jpt.mohe.gov.my/menudirektori.php>
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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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diploma programmes only.
Polytechnics are public non-degree granting higher education provider; Polytechnics provide education
with the aim of developing skilled workforce in technical fields.
Community colleges are public non-degree granting institution; Community colleges are educational
institutions which provide vocational and technical skills training at level 1-3 MQF (see III (1) Table 3). The
community colleges also provide an infrastructure for rural communities to gain skills through short courses
as well as providing access to a post-secondary education.
Colleges are private non-degree granting institution; Private colleges can only offer homegrown diploma
and certificate level programmes and are allowed to conduct degree programme through collaboration(twinning or franchise) with other established university (local or foreign). Many of this collaboration arewith institutions from United Kingdom, United States, Australia and others.

Ⅱ. History of the Malaysian Quality Assurance System
Higher education democratization policy
Development of the Malaysian higher education system was influenced by the British system as a legacy
of colonialism. Recently, the strategic orientation has been on the democratization of higher education. This
has resulted in a quantitative expansion in higher education and greater educational opportunities. These
expansion policies are still aggressively addressing issues in Malaysian higher education, even while greater
emphasis is being placed on quality assurance.
1990s: Development of higher education-related legislation associated with the issue of quality
With the massification of higher education came the problems of pressure on capacity and a decline in
the quality of higher education providers. In response to these problems, the government developed higher
education-related legislation aimed at ensuring and improving quality. The educational legal reforms beganwith the Education Act (1996) followed by the University and University Colleges Act (1971, amended 1996)
to regulate universities and university colleges and the Private Higher Education Institutions Act (1996) toregulate private institutions of higher education and encourage the establishment of local private
universities and colleges and branches of foreign universities.
Development and challenges of the quality assurance system
Development of a quality assurance system began in the second half of the 1990s. In 1997, the Lembaga
Akreditasi Negara (LAN)9 was established based on the Lembaga Akreditasi Negara Act as the quality
assurance body for private higher education providers. Meanwhile, quality assurance of public universities
was left to their internal quality assurance mechanisms but regularly monitored by the government’s
Quality Assurance Division (QAD) established since 2002.
However, this dualistic system, differing depending on whether an institution was public or private,
resulted in decentralization of quality control and assurance. At the same time, the situation surrounding
higher education at the time was marked by the rise of the skills education sector and a heightened need fora uniform quality assurance framework and human capital development. There was a serious call for higher
education restructuring to streamline this development.
Establishment of a quality assurance agency and introduction of a national qualifications framework
In 2007, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) was established based on the MQA Act, merging
LAN and QAD and centralizing the control and assurance of quality for both public and private institutions ofhigher education into a single agency. Furthermore, a national qualifications framework, the development
process of which began in 2002, was officially introduced in 2007 as the Malaysian Qualifications Framework(MQF), and the MQA was given responsibility for the implementation of the MQF as a basis for quality

9

National Accreditation Board (NAB) in English.

独立行政法人 大 学 評 価 ・学 位 授 与 機 構
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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assurance of higher education and as the reference point for the criteria and standards for national
qualifications.
Increasing emphasis on quality assurance in national mid- to long-term development plans
Reform trends in Malaysia’s quality assurance system can be seen from the perspective of national
development planning. The 10th Malaysian National Development Plan (2011-2015), for example, calls forenhancing the quality of education through the revamping of the education system at all levels, including
higher education, in order to reinforce the goal and strategy of building a foundation for the development of
human capital.

Ⅲ. National Quality Assurance System
The Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF), which sets out the levels of academic and vocational
qualifications that can be earned after secondary education, forms the basis of Malaysia’s quality assurance
system. The MQA has developed and published codes of practice10, which prescribe quality assurance
practices and standards, as well as Guidelines to Good Practices (GGPs) as tools to enhance the effectivenessof the MQF and reinforce educational institutions’ internal quality assurance system. Evaluations(accreditation and audit) implemented by the MQA are conducted to ensure the level of education asprescribed by the MQF and the codes of practice are being maintain. Accredited programmes andqualifications (i.e. certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, or degrees) are registered in the Malaysian
Qualifications Register (MQR) 11. MQA Act 2007 provides that the MQA shall establish and maintain thisnational register.
(1) National qualifications framework
The Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) is a national framework that classifies all qualifications
and academic levels in post-secondary education12 hierarchically based on a set of criteria that areapproved nationally and benchmarked against international best practices. MQF includes not only
qualifications of academic education but also qualifications of skills education and vocational education andsupports diverse pathways for learners. All qualifications conferred in post-secondary education must
conform to the MQF.
The MQF divides qualifications in Malaysia into eight levels (Table 3) and specifies the levels of learning
outcomes and minimum credit required (Table 4) as well as the number of notional learning hours percredit13. All qualifications conform to the MQF with the intention of enabling comparison to otherqualifications, facilitating recognition, and promoting student mobility. Regarding learning outcomes inparticular, the MQF clearly specifies the levels required for each qualification in the eight domains listed
below.
Eight domains of learning outcomes:
1. Knowledge;
2. Practical skills;
3. Social skills and responsibilities;
4. Values, attitudes and professionalism;
5. Communication, leadership and team skills;
6. Problem solving and scientific skills;
7. Information management and lifelong learning skills; and8. Managerial and entrepreneurial skills.
10

Code of Practice for Programme Accreditation (COPPA) and Code of Practice for Institutional Audit (COPIA).
MQR contains information on programmes, qualifications, higher education providers, accredited under the MQA Act.
<http://www.mqa.gov.my/mqr/english/eperutusan.cfm>
12
However, pre-university courses (Form 6, Matriculation, and Foundation) are not included.
13
In Malaysia, 40 hours of notional student learning time is valued as one credit. Learning time includes the time spent in lecture, tutorial,seminar, practical, self-study, retrieval of information, fieldwork, as well as preparing for and sitting of an examination.
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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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Learning outcomes in each qualification are referenced whenever looking at educational quality and level
and are used in curriculum design, establishment of credit hours, and the evaluation of student
achievement. Additionally, learning outcomes can be achieved through various channels besides formal
learning, and a feature of the Malaysian system is that learning outcomes achieved through experiential
learning, including non-formal learning and learning outside of school, can be assessed and recognized in
the system of Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
Table 3: Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF): Sectors and levels of qualifications[Adapted from] Malaysian Qualifications Framework, p.13
Sectors
Lifelong
Level
Learning
Skills
Vocational and Technical
Higher Education (Academic)
8
Doctoral Degree
Masters Degree
7
Postgraduate Certificate &DiplomaAccreditation
Bachelors Degreeof Prior
6
Graduate Certificate & Diploma
Experiential
Learning
5
Advanced Diploma
Advanced Diploma
Advanced Diploma(APEL)
4
Diploma
Diploma
Diploma3
Skills Certificate 3
Certificate
Vocational and2
Skills Certificate 2
Technical Certificate
1Skills Certificate 1
Table 4: Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF): Minimum credit14[Adapted from] Malaysian Qualifications Framework, p. 14
MQF Level
Qualification
Minimum credit
8
DoctoralNo given credit value
Research Masters
No given credit value
Fully or Partly Taught Masters
40
7
Postgraduate Diploma
30
Postgraduate Certificate
20
Bachelors Degree
120
6Graduate Diploma
60
Graduate Certificate
30
5Advanced Diploma
40
4
Diploma90
Certificate
60
1–3
According to skills and levels
Skills Certificate(2) Codes of practice
The MQA has codes of practice that prescribe quality assurance practices on the criteria and standards forhigher education in Malaysia. These codes were designed through a series of consultations with domestic
stakeholders and benchmarked against international best practices with the MQA as the main entity in thiseffort.
There are two codes of practice: the Code of Practice for Programme Accreditation (COPPA) and the Codeof Practice for Institutional Audit (COPIA). The codes provide a guideline of general requirements in the nine
14

40 hours of notional student learning time is valued as one credit. Learning time includes the time spent in lecture, tutorial, seminar,
practical, self-study, retrieval of information, fieldwork, as well as preparing for and sitting of an examination.

独立行政法人 大 学 評 価 ・学 位 授 与 機 構
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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areas of evaluation listed below.
Areas of quality evaluation in programme accreditation and institutional audit are:
1. Vision, mission, educational goals and learning outcomes;
2. Curriculum design and delivery;
3. Assessment of students;
4. Student selection and support services;
5. Academic staff;
6. Educational resources;
7. Programme monitoring and review;
8. Leadership, governance and administration; and9. Continual quality improvement.
Quality standards established for each area are expressed in two ways according to the expected level ofattainment: (1) benchmarked standards, which are standards that “must” be met; and (2) enhanced
standards, which are standards that “should” be met. The codes of practice were made with the intention
to be used as guidance for internal quality review to be conducted by the higher education provider andexternal evaluation to be conducted by the MQA.
(3) External evaluation
External evaluations in Malaysia consist of Provisional Accreditation and Full Accreditation. Provisional
Accreditation indicates that the programme has fulfilled the minimum requirement for it to be offered for
consumption by learners. It is also a condition for a programme to be approved by the Ministry of Education.
Full Accreditation following a programme audit by an external MQA panel of auditors, stating that the
programme has met the relevant programmes’ standards, in compliance with the requirements of the MQF
observing all aspects of Good Practice as advocated through MQA’s Code of Practice for Programme
Accreditation (COPPA). Another type of external evaluation is the Institutional Audit. The Institutional Audit
could be comprehensive or thematic. It could take the form of periodic academic performance audit on thehigher education provider or to establish the continuation or maintenance of programme accreditation
status. These evaluations are on voluntary basis. Nevertheless, obtaining accreditation can be mandatory by
the government policy, eligibility for student loan and to get recognition by the government. Table 5
illustrates the summary of the external evaluation carried out by the MQA.

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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Table 5: Types of external evaluations by the MQA(a) Provisional(b) Full Accreditation
Accreditation
PurposeAn evaluation to
An evaluation todetermine whether
determine that thethe programme
programme on
proposals from thedelivery has met all
higher education
the criteria andprovider met thestandards set for theminimum standards,
purpose of Full
before theAccreditation.
programme is being
offered.
Evaluation Before programme isFirst cohort oftimingbeing offered.
students reaches their
final year.
Type
Evaluator
Process

Cycle

Programme-based
MQA
1. Submission of
documents by higher
education provider.
2. Documentation
review by MQA’s
panel of assessors.
3. Decision by MQA
Accreditation
Committee.

Programme-based
MQA
1. Self-review byhigher education
provider.
2. Submission of
documents by higher
education provider.
3. Documentation
review and evaluation
visit by MQA’s panel ofassessors.
4. Decision by MQA
Accreditation
Committee.
Evaluation is being
carried out only once,
which is when the firstcohort of students
reaches their final
year. The Full
Accreditation isperpetual; no expiry
date.

(c) Institutional Audit
Maintenance Audit
Thematic Audit
Periodic audit conducted
An audit for purpose ofafter gaining the Fullverifying data, public policy
Accreditation status.
input or for rating ofinstitutions andprogrammes as follows:
1) Academic Performance
Audit2) Self-accreditation status
3)Rating
4)Discipline Rating
At least once in five years
As and when necessary.
after programme
accreditation status is
granted.
Institution-based (by faculty or across faculties)
MQA
MQA
1. Self-review by higher
Depending on the theme
education provider.
of the audit
2. Submission of
documents by higher
education provider.
3. Documentation review
and evaluation visit by
MQA’s panel of assessors.
4. Decision by MQA Audit
Committee.

At least once in five years.

(Prepared by the NIAD-UE)

独立行政法人 大 学 評 価 ・学 位 授 与 機 構
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation

7

BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
Quality Assurance in Higher Educationa) Provisional Accreditation- Purpose
The purpose of Provisional Accreditation is to determine whether the minimum requirements to
conduct the programme have been met by the higher education provider in respect of the nine areas(see III (2) above), especially the curriculum design, prescribed in the Code of Practice. The higher
education provider uses the report from the Provisional Accreditation exercise as one of therequirements to seek approval from the Ministry of Education to offer the programme, and, on obtaining
it, to commence the programme.
- Process1) Submission of documentation related to the programme
The applicant must prepare documentation based on the form indicated by the MQA, form
MQA-01, consisting of: (1) general information on the applicant; (2) programme description (name,
MQF level, duration of study, etc.); and (3) Programme standards and criteria of which attainment isshown in the Code of Practice.
2) External programme evaluation by the MQAA Panel of Assessors (POA) organized by the MQA carries out Provisional Accreditation. The POA
submits an evaluation report to the MQA after analyzing the documents prepared by the
programme provider. A site visit may be conducted if necessary.
3) Decision and use of results
Provisional Accreditation is granted if, after deliberation by the MQA Accreditation Committee
based on the evaluation report; it is judged that the standards have been met. The MQA will informthe Ministry of Education on the report of the evaluation for further action; the ministry will decide
whether or not to grant the approval to run the programme based on the evaluation report ofProvisional Accreditation by the MQA. The institution has to reapply for provisional accreditation in
the case of refuse of provisional accreditation.
The provisional accreditation report will be made available to the institutions involved. The
provisional accreditation report is also used as one of the review documents submitted by thehigher education provider during review conducted by the Ministry of Education for programmeapproval.
b) Full Accreditation- Purpose
The evaluation for Full Accreditation is conducted when the first cohort of students reaches their final
year. The purpose of Full Accreditation is to ensure that the programme conducted has met the set ofstandards in respect of the nine areas of evaluation prescribed in the Code of Practice, and is incompliance with the MQF. Full Accreditation is granted if the standards, etc., are met.
- Process1) Self-Review (Internal Quality Audit) and documentation submission
The programme provider must prepare documentation based on the form indicated by the MQA,
form MQA-02, consisting of: (1) general information on the programme provider; (2) programme
description (name, MQF level, duration of study, etc.); (3) Programme standards and criteria of
which attainment is shown in the Code of Practice; and (4) a Self-Review Report. The programme
provider conducts a self-assessment when preparing the Self-Review Report.
2) External programme evaluation by the MQAA Panel of Assessors (POA) organized by the MQA carries out Full Accreditation. The POA submits
an accreditation report to the MQA after analyzing the Self-Review Report and otherdocumentation prepared by the programme provider and conducting a site visit.
3) Decision and use of results

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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Full Accreditation is granted if, after deliberation by the MQA Accreditation Committee based on
the accreditation report, it is judged that the standards have been met. If, on the other hand,accreditation is denied or there is no expectation for rectification of the reasons for rejection, the
MQA will inform the Ministry of Education accordingly for its necessary action15. The programme
provider uses the accreditation report for continual quality improvement.
The MQA has appropriate methods and policies for appeal where the higher education provider
can forward a request for consideration of a decision. The provision for appeal is provided for under
the MQA Act. The higher education provider may appeal in writing to the Minister of Education
within thirty days from the date on which the refusal or revocation is served on the institution.
* Accreditation of professional degree programmes
Generally, programmes leading to a professional degree are evaluated by a Joint Technical Committeeorganized by the MQA and the professional body against standards established by the professional body.
A programme that receives accreditation usually receives both accreditation from the MQA andrecognition from the professional body. In the field of engineering, for example, the Engineering
Accreditation Council, which comprises representatives from the Board of Engineers Malaysia, the MQA,
and other organizations, performs programme accreditation for engineering degree courses. Fields inwhich programmes are accredited in this way include, in addition to the engineering programme,
medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture and several others.
c) Institutional Audit- Purpose
Institutional Audit takes many forms depending on the purpose of the audit, including audits for the
purpose of determining the continuation of programme accreditation status (called maintenance audit)
and audits for the purpose of periodic review of the institution’s academic activities and performance.
The thematic audit is being carried out for purposes, such as; Academic Performance Audit,
Self-accreditation status, Rating, and Discipline Rating. The form for documents submitted by theinstitution to the MQA is the same in each type of audit, but the commendations, affirmations andrecommendations in the Audit Report prepared by the Audit Panel are different depends on the purposeof the audit. An audit could be done by faculty or across faculties.
- Process for Maintenance Audit
1) Self-Review (Internal Quality Audit)
The institution to be audited must prepare documentation based on the form indicated by the
MQA, form MQA-03 (Self-Review Portfolio), consisting of: (1) general information on the institution;(2) Programme standards and criteria of which attainment is shown in the Code of Practice; and (3)a Self-Review Report.
2) MQA Institutional Audit (External Quality Audit)
A Panel of Auditors organized by the MQA carries out the Institutional Audit. The Panel analyzes
the Self-Review Report and other documentation prepared by the institution, conducts a site visit,
and then submits an Institutional Audit Report to the MQA.
3) Decision and use of results
After deliberation by the MQA Audit Committee based on the Institutional Audit Report, adecision is made to maintain or cease an accreditation status of a programme, and the report
indicates the status of quality and the points needing improvement. The report is sent to theinstitution for use in continuous quality enhancement.
- Process for Thematic Audit
15

The necessary action taken by the Ministry of Education, may include: To hold the renewal of the approval to run the programme; or tostop new intake of student.

独立行政法人 大 学 評 価 ・学 位 授 与 機 構
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
Quality Assurance in Higher Education
1) Self-Review (Internal Quality Audit)
The institution to be audited must prepare documentation based on the form indicated by the
MQA, form MQA-03 (Self-Review Portfolio), consisting of: (1) general information on the institution;(2) Programme standards and criteria of which attainment is shown in the Code of Practice; and (3)a Self-Review Report.
2) MQA Institutional Audit (External Quality Audit)
A Panel of Auditors organized by the MQA carries out the Institutional Audit. The Panel analyzes
the Self-Review Report and other documentation prepared by the institution, conducts a site visit,
and then submits an Institutional Audit Report to the MQA.
3) Decision and use of results
The results are being used to verifying data, public policy input or for rating of institutions andprogrammes, depending on the theme of the audit. The report is also being submitted to the
Ministry of Education. It result may also be used to grant the self-accreditation status to the higher
education provider.
*Self-accreditation status and the thematic audit for gaining its status
One type of institutional thematic audit is for the purpose of obtaining self-accreditation status. The
Ministry of Education confers self-accreditation status on educational institutions with excellent internal
quality assurance capability. Such status gives the educational institution the power to establish
programmes and the responsibility to accredit its own programmes. Thus far the Ministry of Education
has granted self-accreditation status to nine universities16 as of June 2013.
The process for obtaining self-accreditation status involves the higher education provider firstundergoing a self-accreditation audit by the MQA. The Ministry of Education then confers aself-accreditation status to the institution based on the audit results.
Self-accredited institutions submit all of their self-accredited programmes to the MQA in order to beregistered in the MQR. There is no evaluation done by the MQA in this process. Once a higher education
institution obtains self-accreditation status, the institution need to send its self-review report to the MQA
once in two years.
<<Evaluation fee>>
The MQA charges the higher education provider for the accreditation services it provides. The fees are
fixed and charged based on the accreditation and qualification’s level and field of study. The fee structure isbased on an aggregated cost of honorarium and travelling expenses of the assessors and management cost.
All fees are required to be paid in full during submission of application, thus minimizing the probability ofbad debts. Table 6 illustrates the fee structure imposed by the MQA to the higher education providers.
Table 6: Fees for external evaluations by the MQA17
Provisional Accreditation

Full Accreditation

16

1 RM = about 31 yen (as of March 2014)
Certificate
RM 3,500
Diploma, Advanced Diploma
RM 4,000
Graduate Certificate & Diploma,
RM 5,500
Postgraduate Certificate & Diploma
Bachelor, Masters, Doctoral
RM 7,500
Certificate
RM 6,500
Diploma, Advanced Diploma
RM 7,000Five public universities (Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Universiti Sains Malaysia,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia) and four foreign university branch campuses (Monash University Sunway Campus, the University of
Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Curtin University of Technology Sarawak Campus, and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak
Campus).
17
Application forms for external evaluations can be downloaded from the “Forms & Submission of Applications” section of the MQA
website: <http://www.mqa.gov.my/>. The fee is indicated on each application.

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
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Graduate Certificate & Diploma,
Postgraduate Certificate & Diploma
Bachelor,
MedicalMasters,
Pharmacy,
Doctoraldentistry,
optometry
Other
Institutional
Audit18

Maintenance Audit
Academic Performance Audit
Fewer than 50 programmes
and audit for Self-accreditation 50–100 programmes
statusMore than 100 programmes

RM 8,500
RM 25,000
RM 18,000

RM 10,000
No specific fee
RM 30,000
RM 40,000
RM 50,000(Prepared by the NIAD-UE)(4) Malaysian Qualifications Register
Programmes accredited by the MQA are registered in the Malaysian Qualifications Register (MQR). The
MQR is a publicly available database managed by the MQA. It contains information including the name andaddress of higher education providers, basic information on programmes, and the name, field, and level ofqualifications, among other information. The MQR helps promote degree recognition and credit transfer inand outside Malaysia by providing this kind of information in an integrated manner to students, parents,
employers, funding agencies, and other stakeholders.

Ⅳ. Challenges of the Quality Assurance System and Future Policy
The quality assurance system and MQF are equally applied to all public, private higher education
providers, which also includes the polytechnics, community colleges and others.
The current quality assurance system aims for enhancing the higher education providers while addressing
the autonomy and accountability of the institutions. It is also addresses on strengthening the internal quality
assurance system and focused periodic audit. These require continuous discussions among government,
higher education providers, quality assurance body and professional bodies with the view towards
balancing the policies roles and responsibilities. It is also important to promote and enhance community
understanding of these quality assurance policies and practices. As evaluation are increasingly emphasizedon the quality of the graduates, it is essential to obtain continuous understanding and support from theeducational industry and other key stakeholders.
It is a shared responsibility between the MQA as a quality assurance body and the higher education
providers in order to effectively enhance quality of higher education through good quality assurance
practices.
(Written by the MQA)

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Generally the cost for Institutional Audit depends on the type of evaluations and the number of programme evaluated. There is no
specific fee imposed to the institution for the Maintenance Audit.

独立行政法人 大 学 評 価 ・学 位 授 与 機 構
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation

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BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
Quality Assurance in Higher Education
Appendix 1
Overview of Malaysian Qualifications Agency
Name: Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)
Established: 2007 (The MQA was established by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act through themerger of the National Accreditation Board and the government’s Quality Assurance
Division.)
Type: Statutory body
Headquarters: Petaling Jaya (city adjacent to Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia
Head: Dato' Prof. Dr. Rujhan bin MustafaDato’ Dr. Syed Ahmad Hussein (Chief Executive Officer(CEO))
Purpose: Implementation of the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) as a basis for
Malaysia’s higher education quality assurance system, monitoring and overseeing quality
assurance practices, and accreditation of national higher education
Organization: Comprised of 300 staff members under the CEO. The MQA has as many as 1,600
registered auditors or assessors. It has a Council, evaluation committees, and standards
setting groups as management and operations organizations. Council members areappointed by the Honourable Minister of Education and have functions including
approving policies and plans relating to accreditation. Evaluation committees are
established for each type of evaluation. Accreditation Committees are independent of theCouncil and have the power to make decisions about accreditation.
Main functions: • To implement the MQF as a reference point for Malaysian qualifications;• To develop standards and credits and all other relevant instruments as nationalreferences for the conferment of awards with the cooperation of stakeholders;• To quality assure higher education providers and programmes;• To accredit programmes that fulfil the set criteria and standards;• To facilitate the recognition and articulation of qualifications; and• To maintain the Malaysian Qualifications Register (MQR)
International organization • Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN)
membership: • International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE)• ASEAN Quality Assurance Network (AQAN)• Association of Quality Assurance Agencies of the Islamic World (AQAAIW)
Website: http://www.mqa.gov.my/

12BRIEFING ON MALAYSIA:
Quality Assurance in Higher Education

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February, 2015
International Affairs Division, NIAD-UE

独立行政法人 大 学 評 価 ・学 位 授 与 機 構
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation

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