Malaysian Higher Education

Menerusi Pelan Strategik Pengajian Tinggi Negara (PSPTN) 2007-2020 dan kesinambungan Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025 (Pendidikan Tinggi) (PPPM-PT), Malaysia berhasrat menjadi hub pendidikan khususnya dalam Institusi Pengajian Tinggi. Bagaimanapun, cabaran universiti di Malaysia dalam menghadapi penurunan prestasi universiti seperti yang dilaporkan oleh beberapa laporan antarabangsa berdasarkan ranking universiti global seperti Times Higher Education (THE), Academic Ranking of World University (ARWU), Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation of Taiwan (HEEACT) memberi indikasi kegagalan universiti di Malaysia untuk menduduki tangga 100 teratas di rantau Asia apatah lagi di rantau global. Ini mewujudkan persoalan, apakah masalah sebenar institusi pengajian tinggi di Malaysia? Setelah kerajaan membelanjakan jumlah yang besar iaitu lebih 20% bajet negara untuk pendidikan, beserta dengan pelan strategik dan pelan pembangunan, Malaysia masih lagi kekal terkebelakang. Artikel ini membawa kita menelusuri persoalan yang menjadi asas utama universiti tetapi masih dipandang remeh oleh kebanyakan orang. Kata kuncinya adalah ‘kebebasan akademik’ yang sepatutnya menjadi asas tunjang utama universiti. Bahkan, frasa kebebasan akademik merupakan frasa sinonim dengan universiti. Selain itu, artikel ini membawa kepada introspeksi sejarah di awal kebangkitan mahasiswa sehinggalah ke era kelembapannya dan kesan sekatan kebebasan akademik terhadap mahasiswa serta prestasi institusi pengajian tinggi di Malaysia. Akhirnya, beberapa resolusi dinyatakan berdasarkan pengamatan terhadap masalah yang dinyatakan sebelumnya. Apakah sebenarnya kaitan kebebasan akademik, kecemerlangan akademik dan prestasi universiti dan seterusnya dalam menjawab persoalan Malaysia sebagai hub pendidikan.

Unlike traditional Islamic education (IE) systems, Islamic Integrated Education (IIE) emphasizes on developing graduate competency to generate employability to cope with an increasingly globalized world, while pursuing the core principles of IE. This paper tracks how IIE grew in Malaysia in the course of time and what are the opportunities offered for the students currently in primary, secondary and tertiary levels at IIE institutions. Historically, Islamic education in the Malay Archipelago (presently modern day Malaysia) started since Muslims ruled in Melaka around the 14th century. After the independence from British colonization, Malaysia retained the dualistic system of education i.e. separate Islamic and secular education systems. At current time, the Islamic education has been developed in an integrated way to accommodate the advancement of science and technology in Islamic subjects and thoughts. In this light, this paper presents the development of major aspects of IIE, such as pedagogy, curriculum, textbooks, teacher’s training and assessment through the different ages till the present, based on available resources. Finally, this paper suggests that the IIE still needs to be enhanced in terms of quality and quantity of the educational institutions and the teachers. In this regard, teachers must be adequately trained to be able to creatively integrate the teaching of the Muslim holy scripture, the «Quran» with science, and vice versa.

Malaysia had looked to Japan to search for a sustainable and efficient
development model under the Look East Policy (LEP) initiative launched in 1982 by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. At the time, this ideal formula, intended for the betterment of the Malaysian economy, was designed to incorporate the Japanese attitude to work, their moral values, progressive norms, and work ethics. Since then, more than 15,000 Malaysians expatriated to Japan due to this very purpose, and bilateral relations between them have blossomed. In this paper,
the LEP is revisited, and Japan-Malaysia relations will be analysed to understand the change and continuity aspects of this policy in the past 35 years. Furthermore, this paper will also seek to forecast the challenges Japanese and Malaysian institutions may face in establishing cooperation under the second phase of this policy after
35 years of success. Besides, exploring a new paradigm for Japan and Malaysia’s relations as proposed by the former Prime Minister, Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

The role of higher education in any country is indeed very important as it acts as a catalyst to foster a
harmonious, productive society with robust economic growth. Higher education is of tremendous help to nation
building through its ability to generate highly skilled workforce.This paper examines the state of community
engagement in Malaysian higher education institutions. Community engagement in this paper refers to the
collaboration ―between higher education institutions and their larger communities (local, regional/state,
national, global)‖ (Driscoll, 2009, p. 6).

Teaching non-engineering course to the engineering students requires interactive e-learning tools and technology oriented interaction rather than traditional learning approach (James Cooper & Ball, 2003). Edmodo is one of the e-learning tools used as e-learning platform to enhance teaching and learning (Mohamed Amin Embi, 2011) of the university core courses in University Malaysia Pahang (UMP), namely Ethnic Relations, Soft Skills and Islamic and Asian Civilization which are non-engineering
courses in nature. In addition, this chapter covers on the instructor experience and challenges in embedding and engaging teaching and learning activities via Edmodo
with impact on teaching performance.

The book is a compilation of input,ideas and practices from 14 public higher education institutions and 9 private higher education institutions that lead to the formulation of Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education Malaysia.The Executive summary features the gist of the policy and the critical aspects to be focused in internationalisation of Malaysian higher education. An explanation on the need for a policy on internationalisation is highlighted in the Introduction section,while the Working Definition section describes the definition used in the formulation of the policy. The six subsequent chapters, namely Student Mobility, Staff Mobility, Academic Programmes¸ Research and Development¸ Governance and Autonomy and Social Integration and Community Engagement illustrate the six important sectors that play pivotal role in internationalisation of Malaysian higher education. The last section i.e. Conclusion features recommendations for both the central agency and higher educat...

Malaysia is an exemplar to the rest of Asia on how to stimulate and manage the private provision of education. Rather than limit and marginalise the role of private education vis a vis public providers, the Malaysian Government since the mid-1990s has overtly encouraged private providers to participate in education and training. Private schools, colleges and universities now educate or train 45 per cent of students. Unlike many other countries, Malaysia goes as far as to also encourage foreign investment in: Early childhood education and care;  Primary and secondary schooling (both for domestic and expatriate students);  Vocational education and training; and Higher education (domestic and international students).

The article analyzes the feminization of rural-to-urban-migration by focusing on the motivations for achieving formal education by young Malay Malaysian women. How is the migration step connected with the social actor’s gender role? The article pursues the goal to investigate education-based rural-to-urban-migration as a field of negotiation of social advancement by the social actors. The connections between rural-to-urban-migration, education and gender are analyzed within the broader social context of identity politics in Malaysia on ethnicity and religion.

The ubiquity of Web 2.0 technologies means students require a base level of digital literacies in order to succeed in 21st Century (C21st) learning environments. However, in the era of widening university participation it is problematic to assume that students will enter higher education with the digital literacies required to support their academic endeavours. This paper describes the theoretical and pedagogical impetus behind two distinct approaches to enhancing digital readiness among undergraduate students in Australian and Malaysian universities. A comprehensive literature review and adoption of the Joint Information Systems Committee (Jisc) six capabilities of digital literacies model as the underlying theoretical framework guided the development of two distinct projects, one based at an Australian university and the other at a Malaysian university. The Australian approach focused on the development of a suite of online modules utilising an adaptive e-Learning platform (AeLP). The Malaysian approach focused on facilitating digital readiness among education students through student-created learning objects that simultaneously served as interactive pedagogical products and cognitive tools for facilitating learning. The cases presented demonstrate two distinct approaches to developing curriculum to support students’ digital literacies that respond to two different contextual situations. Subsequent investigations into the student experience will inform future decisions regarding the use of AeLPs and cognitive tools in tertiary institutions, in addition to providing valuable information on the design of curriculum to support digital literacies instruction in the Australasian university context.