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-          CEFR was developed in Europe for more than 20 years. Only being officially launched in 2001.

-          2011, CEFR applied in Malaysia

-          Aligning ELT with CEFR in Malaysia, ministries requires English Teachers to obtain C1 band.

-          Primary School: A2

-          Secondary School: B1 or B2

-          University: B2 or C1 (Before they graduate)

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Record-breaking year for M’sian higher education

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Record-breaking year for M’sian higher education

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https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/online-exclusive/whats-your-status/2017/08/03/recordbreaking-year-for-msian-higher-education-while-global-rankings-have-been-positive-they-also-se/

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THE first half of 2017 has been positive and historical for Malaysian higher education. Across various international achievement indicators, Malaysian universities as well as the higher education system as a whole have recorded significant improvements.

The Higher Education Ministry has even coined a new narrative to summarise the recent achievements: UMAR.

U refers to Universitas 21 or the U21 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems, also known as country rankings. In it, Malaysia's higher education system is ranked 25th in the world.

This is an improvement of 11 places since 2012. U21 is a consortium of international research universities and this ranking project is based at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research, University of Melbourne.

What caught my eye was the "resources" category, in which Malaysia is ranked 11th in the world - ahead of Britain, Hong Kong, Germany and Japan. When adjusted to levels of economic development, Malaysia is ranked first.

The U21 report states that Malaysia "devotes 50% more to resources than what is expected given its income level". Over the years, Malaysia has shown significant improvement in this category - second (2013), first (2014), third (2015), second (2016) and first (2017). Without a doubt, the Malaysian Government has consistently committed huge resources to higher education.

M stands for "Malaya" or Universiti Malaya (UM). According to the QS World University Rankings 2018, UM has improved by 53 places since 2013 and is now ranked 114 in the world. While 114 may not sound like the sexiest of numbers, it places UM ahead of top institutions such as Cardiff University, Newcastle University, RMIT and Georgetown University.

A highlights our position in Asean. According to the QS rankings, Malaysia is home to five of Asean's top eight universities - ranking third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eight respectively.

Singapore's Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore lead the placing, with Thailand's Chulalongkorn University in sixth place. This is significant as it shows the quality of higher education Malaysia possesses, as well as the potential it has.

R is for Research Universities. According to the QS rankings, Malaysia's Research Universities (MRUs) are in the top one per cent in the world. How is this so? Well, out of approximately 26,000 universities worldwide, all five MRUs are ranked 264 and below, placing them within the top one percentile.

Five public universities make up the MRUs. They are UM, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. In the last five years, the MRUs have improved as much as 182 places in the world rankings - a sign of great dedication and hard work by the Malaysian higher education community.
A decade in the making
UMAR success stories are not coincidental. The successes, led by the MRUs, have been a decade in the making.

In fact, 2017 marks the 10-year anniversary of the MRU initiative. These efforts were first mooted by then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and subsequently implemented by former Education Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (now International Trade and Industry Minister) and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (now Johor Mentri Besar).

The current Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, is overseeing the sustainability and continued growth of this high-impact initiative.
Room to improve
Without a doubt, the rankings and indicators also tell us another story - namely where Malaysian higher education is lacking and needs to improve. I have summarised these into four areas.

Firstly, resources management. Despite ranking 11th for resources in the U21 report, Malaysia ranks 39 for output. In my opinion, this indicates that the issue is not the lack of resources, rather the manner in which the funds are being deployed and managed.

Efficiency must be enhanced and complacency must be made a taboo. Perhaps, the current reduction in funding from the Government is the necessary jolt for our universities.

Secondly, industry collaboration. It should progress beyond signing memorandums of understanding (of which there are many). It should move towards depth and quality of collaboration between universities and industry, which leads to innovation, product commercialisation, joint research, grants and even student placement opportunities.

Thirdly, education quality. It goes without saying when the quality of education is high, it will impact various ranking indicators - including reputation, international student intake and quality of faculty. This is related to the quality and impact of teaching and learning, something that can be overlooked if too much emphasis is placed on research (do not forget the students!).

Fourth, and finally, graduate employability. All said and done, every university's primary role is to produce employable graduates. Rankings, etc. do not matter if such a role is not achieved. While international indicators do not always capture this point, it is something on which our universities cannot compromise.

I sincerely believe our universities are not resting on their laurels to ensure they continue to improve, in line with the ministry's motto "Soaring Upwards" (Google it). Malaysia's higher education system is not void of problems. But rather than focus on the negatives, we should also know the positives.

The achievements of our higher education system today should make us proud.

Finally, if you ever head to the Higher Education Ministry, try to remember UMAR beforehand. It will come in handy in case you run into Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, who is known to carry out impromptu UMAR quizzes.
Danial Rahman has education close to his heart and welcomes feedback at danialrahman0330@gmail.com. The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.
Danial Rahman has education close to his heart. He tweets at @danial_ari and welcomes feedback at danialrahman0330@gmail.com.

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Record-breaking year for M'sian higher education - What's Your Status? | The Star Online

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THE first half of 2017 has been positive and historical for Malaysian higher education. Across various international achievement indicators, Malaysian universities as well as the higher education system as a whole have recorded significant improvements. The Higher Education Ministry has even coined a new narrative to summarise the recent achievements: UMAR.

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Malaysia's higher education mid-year report – 2016

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Malaysia's higher education mid-year report – 2016

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https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/online-exclusive/whats-your-status/2016/06/23/malaysia-higher-education-2016/

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The Higher Education Ministry's battle cry, "Soaring Upwards" - meaning continuous improvement - continues to ring loudly in 2016. While there have been many positives, the year has seen its share of challenges. Let's take a look.

First, the positives.
Rising in Asia
Just last week, QS announced its Asia University Rankings, and five Malaysian public universities were ranked in the top 100. In fact, two are in the top 50 - Universiti Malaya (UM) in 27th place and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), in 49th place, with Universiti Sains Malaysia (51), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (55) and Universiti Teknologyi Malaysia (63) rounding up the top 100.

While we shouldn't be too obsessed with rankings, they clearly excite the public. An infographic on Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh's Facebook page clocked nearly 2,000 shares in a matter of days.

Equally encouraging is that two private universities are in Asia's top 200 - Universiti Teknologi Petronas (127) and Taylor's University (179).
Three subjects, top 50 worldwide
In March, QS released its World Universities Rankings by subject. For the first time in Malaysia's higher education history, three subjects are ranked top 50 in the world. UM leads the pack with two subjects, namely, development studies (30) and electrical and electronic engineering (37), with USM's chemical engineering at 46th.

To add to this, 13 subjects were ranked within the world's top 100, including all engineering categories assessed (aeronautical, mechanical and manufacturing engineering) as well as agriculture, pharmacy and computer sciences.

As universities worldwide become more focused and niche, it's encouraging to see that we have a number of standout subjects offered locally.
Three scientists recognised as world's most influential
Earlier this year, three professors, two Malaysians and an Iraqi, serving in UKM and USM, were named in Thomson Reuters Most Influential Scientific Minds list. All three were in the field of chemical engineering. They were selected because their publications were among the most-highly cited in the world.
Malaysia, Germany top list
In a major British Council report published in May, Malaysia and Germany were singled out as the best performers in research that looks at national policies on openness to international higher education. The report, "The Shape of Global Higher Education: National Policies Framework for International Engagement", rates Malaysia and Germany as 'very high' in terms of openness, quality assurance and recognition, as well as access and sustainability.
Home to top international varsities
Recently, it was reported that Malaysia is currently home to 10 international university branch campuses - the highest in Asia.

We are home to five British universities (Nottingham, Reading, Newcastle, Southampton and the newest, Heriot-Watt) - the largest battalion outside of Great Britain. Also here are universities from Australia (Monash, Swinburne and Curtin), China (Xiamen - the first Chinese university approved to open overseas) and Singapore (Raffles). Malaysia is also home to the Asia School of Business (ASB), a collaborative effort between Malaysia's Central Bank and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management (MIT-Sloan) which will offer world-class executive education beginning September 2016 - imagine, MIT in Malaysia!

The British Council report and Malaysia's strong international educational institution presence bodes well for the Malaysian Government's aims to turn Malaysia into a global education hub and attract 200,000 international students by 2020.

As it stands, there are some 120,000 international students (151,000 including school children) studying in Malaysia. More than 30,000 are pursuing postgraduate degrees. International students currently contribute about RM7.9 billion to the nation's economy and this is expected to increase to about RM15.6 billion per annum by 2020.

Beyond the economics, the presence of international students should enhance competition between institutions and between students.

And now, let's take a look at some of the arising challenges.
UM publication manipulation
Just last week, it was reported that four scientific publications published by UM researchers in various international journals were found to have contained manipulated figures (images and graphs).

UM's management has acted swiftly and have instructed the author and co-authors to retract the papers, with the university's research integrity and ethics committee currently deliberating the appropriate action to be taken.

Quite appropriately, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohd Amin has come out and said that UM does not condone any form of research misconduct.

Perhaps for the nation's top university, which is ranked 146th in the world, 27th in Asia, has two subjects in the top 50, among others, the pressure of maintaining performance or chasing KPIs is getting to their researchers.

When things like this happen, it is important to reflect and ensure are priorities and intentions are in the right place. The chasing of rankings and publication numbers should never be done at the expense of academic integrity.
UTM's insensitive slides
Another controversial issue arose last week when presentations slides used by a yet-to-be identified UTM lecturer in a subject on Islamic and Asian Civilisation (Titas) contained information that was deemed insulting to members of the Hindu and Sikh faiths.

The issue caused a lot of uproar, not merely for being ignorant or insensitive, but because it was an academician who had prepared the slides. The duty of care of an academician is high, especially as he or she is seen as an intellectual leader in society, what more an educator of young Malaysians.

Commendably, UTM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Wahid Omar immediately issued an apology on behalf of the university. At present, an investigation by an independent panel is underway, with the outcome expected sometime this week.
Conclusion
So there you have it. The highlights of what has been an interesting few months for Malaysia's higher education sector. The Higher Education Ministry and universities have clearly been working hard, so kudos to them.

For every positive, there will be a negative. In my opinion, knowing both and working towards a better tomorrow is very important. I write about education - in all its glory and gloom - because I believe in its role in shaping a better Malaysia.

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Malaysia's higher education mid-year report - What's Your Status? | The Star Online

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The Higher Education Ministry's battle cry, "Soaring Upwards" - meaning continuous improvement - continues to ring loudly in 2016. While there have been many positives, the year has seen its share of challenges. Let's take a look. First, the positives.

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A Glance At The Malaysian Education System

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A Glance At The Malaysian Education System

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https://www.studymalaysia.com/education/higher-education-in-malaysia/a-glance-at-the-malaysian-education-system

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by StudyMalaysia.com on March 16, 2015 | Higher Education in Malaysia, The National Education System

Introduction to the Malaysian Education Structure

Children in Malaysia begin their education as early as at the age of four at pre-schools although this is not compulsory. Primary education starts when the child reaches the age of six on the first day of January of the current school year. Presently, only the six years of primary education is compulsory while the five years of secondary education will be made compulsory by 2015. The government provides free education for six years at primary level and five years at secondary level. At the end of this secondary education, students sit for the public common examination, Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

Students who want to pursue higher education after the secondary level need to have the required academic grades and be able to fund their education. School leavers with SPM qualifications can opt to obtain a pre-university qualification (such as the sixth form, matriculation programmes and GCE 'A' levels) or study for a certificate or diploma at higher educational institutions. The time needed to complete a pre-university programme depends on the type of programme - students usually take a year to complete a matriculation programme or STAM and one-and-a-half to two years for STPM and A-levels.

At higher education phase, study opportunities include certificate, diploma, undergraduate, as well as postgraduate studies. Undergraduate studies consist of bachelor degrees and professional qualifications while postgraduate studies offer master degrees and PhDs. Generally, higher education at the diploma level is for school leavers with a secondary school certificate such as SPM (usually age 17 onwards) while bachelor degrees require post-secondary qualifications such as STPM or GCE A Levels or other equivalent pre-university qualifications (usually age 19 onwards).

Malaysia welcomes international students for all levels of education. Since the mid 1990s, international students have been coming to Malaysia to pursue their tertiary education at Malaysia's higher educational institutions. Today, Malaysia is ranked the 11 th most popular destination in the world for international education at tertiary level.

Education Governing Authorities

Generally, the Malaysian education structure can be divided into pre-tertiary and tertiary education levels. Previously, there were two governing authorities in education: the pre-tertiary education sector (from pre-school to secondary education and teacher education) was placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE), while the higher education sector came under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). In May 2013, the two ministries were merged as one entity and named the Ministry of Education Malaysia (or Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia in Malay).
The pre-tertiary phase of MOE comprises the following:

The Policy and Educational Development Sector

The Education Operations Sector

The Teacher Professional Development Sector

The Education Development Sector

The Education Management Sector

Matriculation Division

State Education Departments

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka

Malaysian Examination Council

The higher education phase comprises the following departments and sectors:

The Department of Higher Education

Public Higher Education Management Sector

Private Higher Education Management Sector

The Department of Polytechnics Education

The Department of 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

Levels of Education

Similar to many developed country in the world, Malaysia adopts a system of 6+5+2 years of formal education. The following section provides details of the various levels of the national education system.

Pre-school and kindergarten education for children age 4 to 6

Primary education from age 6+ to 11+ (Standard 1 to 6 for six years)

Secondary education from age 12+ to 16+ (Form 1 to 5 for five years)

Lower secondary from age 12+ to 14+ (Form 1 to 3)

Upper secondary from age 15+ to 16+ (Form 4 to 5) with the option to choose either

academic secondary education; or

technical secondary education; or

vocational education; or

religious secondary education

Form 6, STPM (for one-and-a-half years); or

Matriculation certificate (for one year); or

STAM (for one year)

Higher Education

Certificate and diploma education from age 17+ onwards

Teacher education at Teacher Training Institutes from age 17+ onwards

Bachelor's degree from age 18+ or 19+ (for three to five years)

Postgraduate studies [master's degree or PhD studies after acquiring a bachelor's degree] (for one to five years)

Categories of Educational Institutions

The Malaysian education system has been shaped to reflect the needs and identity of a multicultural society. There are at least eight broad categories of educational institutions (which include both government or public-funded institutions and private institutions) to meet the needs of its people and the international community.

At Pre-tertiary Level

There are six categories of schools:

Government and private sector kindergartens (that follow the national pre-school curriculum)

Government schools or public funded national schools (that follow the Malaysian national curriculum and national examination)

Government-aided schools or national-type primary schools (that follow the Malaysian national curriculum and national examination), which include:

Chinese national-type primary schools (where the medium of instruction is Chinese)

Tamil national-type primary schools (where the medium of instruction is Tamil)

Private-funded schools (that follow the Malaysian national curriculum and national examination)

Independent Chinese secondary schools (that teach a 6-year curriculum developed by Dong Jiao Zong and prepare students for a standardised examination known as the United Examination Certificate at the end of Year 6 of secondary school; the medium of instruction is Chinese)

Foreign system schools such as international schools and expatriate schools.

Note: There are numerous foreign system schools in Malaysia that use foreign curricula as its medium of instruction. International schools follow an international curriculum and use English as its medium of instruction while expatriate schools follow the national education system of other countries and use their respective national language as the medium of instruction)

At Higher Education Level

There are two categories of higher education institutions:

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 private universities and university colleges

foreign university branch campuses e.g. Monash University Malaysia and The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (English is the medium of instruction at most private higher educational institutions.)

Education Legislations

The legal regulatory frameworks that govern the provision of education in Malaysia include :

The Education Act 1996

The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996

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 1996

The National Higher Education Fund Corporation Act 1997

The MARA Institute of Technology (Amendment) Act 2000

The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (Amendment) Act 2000

The Private Higher Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act 2009

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 six acts regulate the provision of higher education in Malaysia. The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 2009 is currently under review for amendment.

Funding For Higher Education

Students studying at public universities need to pay tuition fees. However, the fees are highly subsidised by the government. Students at private institutions pay full fees.

There are many types of financial aid available for Malaysian students who pursue their higher education in the country. These include scholarships and study loans from public and private sectors. The main providers of financial aid from the government include:

The private sector and non-government organisations also provide funding in the form of scholarships, grants or study loans. Fee waiver schemes are offered by many private higher educational institutions and many study loan schemes are offered by various organisations.

Various scholarship schemes are made available to international students through:

The Malaysian government on G-G arrangement

The Ministry of Education Malaysia (Scholarship Division)

Government-linked companies

Higher educational institutions

Other commercial organisations

For more information on scholarships and financial aid, click here.
Medium of Instruction

At Primary Level (Public Schools)

The medium of instruction at primary schools varies according to the categories of schools.There are two categories of public-funded primary schools, namely :

National schools

National-type schools (Chinese/Tamil)

The medium of instruction in national schools is Bahasa Malaysia (the national language) with English as a compulsory subject (taught as second language) while the medium of instruction in national-type primary schools or the vernacular schools is either Chinese or Tamil with both Bahasa Malaysia and English taught as compulsory subjects. In 2003, the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics in all primary schools was changed to English. However, since 2012, the teaching of Mathematics and Science has been reverted to Bahasa Malaysia in national schools; and Chinese and Tamil in vernacular schools.

At Secondary Level (Public Schools)

The medium of instruction in secondary schools is Bahasa Malaysia while English is taught as a second language in all schools. These two subjects are core subjects and compulsory for all students. Chinese, Tamil and Arabic (communication) are offered as additional subjects. Foreign languages such as French and other indigenous languages are also taught.
Note: The foreign system schools established in Malaysia use their own national language as the medium of instruction. International schools follow an international curriculum and use English as its medium of instruction while expatriate schools follow the national educational system of their respective countries and use their national language as the medium of instruction.
At Higher Education Level

English is used as the primary medium of instruction at most private higher educational institutions. However, most bachelor degree courses offered at public universities are taught in the national language, that is, Bahasa Malaysia, while postgraduate studies are usually conducted in English.

Academic Qualifications

Academic Qualifications at Pre-Tertiary Level

Examinations and Qualifications

The Examination Syndicate or Lembaga Peperiksaan (LP) conducts several national examinations. At the end of the six years of primary schooling, pupils are required to sit for a common public examination called the Primary School Achievement Test / Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (PSAT / UPSR). The subjects tested in UPSR include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, and Science. Students at national-type primary schools also sit for Mandarin or Tamil.

Prior to 2014, students sit for a public examination called Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) or the Lower Secondary Assessment (LSA) at the end of the third year at the lower secondary level (Form 3). Subjects tested include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Living Skills, Islamic Education (for Muslim students), and Moral Education (for non-Muslim students). A number of optional subjects are also available for examination, such as Mandarin, Tamil, and Arabic. Beginning 2014, the government has decided to do away with the PMR as a public examination and it will be replaced with a school-based assessment and PT3 system.

After two years of upper secondary education, students sit for the public common examination Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM (also known as the Malaysian Certificate of Education). The SPM is the national examination taken by all Form 5 students and is equivalent to the IGSCE or O level. Compulsory subjects include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Islamic Education (for Muslim students), Moral Studies (for non-Muslim students), History, Mathematics, and Science. Elective subjects are also offered across the fields of arts and health, information and communication technology, languages and literature, technical and vocational studies, science and mathematics, social sciences and religion.

Along with Bahasa Malaysia, History will be a must-pass subject in SPM examination from 2013. English will be made a compulsory pass subject beginning 2016. Candidates who fail any of these subjects will not receive a full SPM certificate.

In addition, the Ministry of Education offers two types of free post-secondary programmes or pre-university courses for students with SPM qualifications:

The Sixth Form (lower and upper form for one-and-a-half years) that prepares students for the common public examination Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)* which is equivalent to GCE A levels qualification, or Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM).

Matriculation (for one year) conducted by matriculation colleges under the Ministry of Education which award successful candidates with the matriculation certificate.

Note*: In 2012, the Ministry of Education introduced a modular system to assess the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examinations. The system is based on three semesters (for a duration of 1.5 years) where students are evaluated at the end of each one. The assessment also includes coursework and school-based projects. The content of the STPM syllabus will remain the same.
Academic Qualifications at the Higher Education Level

The qualifications awarded by all higher educational institutions in Malaysia registered under laws related to Malaysian education 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.

The framework specifies that a programme is required to achieve the following minimum credits before an academic qualification can be awarded by the approved higher educational institutions, 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 can be defined as follows:

Malaysian Higher Education Qualifications, Education Levels and Minimum Number of Credits

Education Levels Higher Education Qualification Minimum Credit Required for the Award of Qualification

Fully or partly
taught master degree

40

Postgraduate diploma

30

Postgraduate certificate

20

Graduate certificate

30

Providers of Higher Education

Both public and private education providers play equally important roles in the provision of higher education to both Malaysian and international students. Together, the public and private sectors provide abundant study options. Higher educational institutions offer programmes that lead to the award of certificates, diplomas as well as postgraduate qualifications.

Higher education providers in Malaysia can be grouped into two major categories:

Public higher educational institutions (government funded), which consist of:

public universities

polytechnics

community colleges

Private higher educational institutions, which consist of:

private universities and university colleges

foreign university branch campuses

private colleges

Public Higher Educational Institutions

Public universities offer mainly bachelor degrees and postgraduate programmes, with some offering programmes at diploma level. Polytechnics and community colleges offer certificate and diploma level programmes.

Private Higher Educational Institutions

Privately funded higher educational institutions comprise:

Private universities, which award their own qualifications at degree, diploma and foundation levels as well as 3+0 foreign university degrees and split-degree qualifications

University-colleges, which award their own qualifications at degree, diploma and foundation levels as well as 3+0 foreign university degrees and split-degrees qualifications

Foreign university branch campuses, which award their own degree, diploma and foundation studies qualifications

Private colleges, which award their own qualifications at diploma and certificate levels, foundation studies as well as 3+0 foreign university degrees, split degrees and tutorial support for professional qualifications

General Entry Requirements

For international and private schools, the general entry requirement for primary and secondary education levels involves interviews and entry assessments.

The general requirements for the various levels of programmes offered by private higher educational institutions are as follows:

General Entry Requirements for Pre-University / Diploma / Degree Programmes at PHEIs

Pre-university studies

SPM/IGCSE or O level with 5 credits, or its equivalent

Certificate level

SPM/IGCSE or O level with 1 credit, or its equivalent

Diploma level

SPM/I GCSE or O level with 3 credits, or its equivalent

Year 1 bachelor degree

GCE A levels + English proficiency or its equivalent

Undergraduate courses offered by public universities are for Malaysians but the government has allocated 5% of places for international students to pursue non critical programmes.

General Entry Requirements for Bachelor's Degree Programmes at Public Universities

Year 1 bachelor degree

STPM (equivalent to GCE A levels) +English proficiency (MUET or its equivalent)

Applying to Study in Malaysia

Here is some useful information for students applying to study in Malaysia.

Applying to Higher Educational Institutions

For courses at public universities - bachelor degree (full-time mode) and postgraduate programmes - international students have to apply directly to the university of their choice.

For courses at private higher educational institutions e.g. pre-university studies, diploma, bachelor degree and postgraduate studies, students have to apply directly to the institution of their choice, which must have the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia to enrol international students.

National Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education - MQA

The national quality assurance agency of Malaysia is known as the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) which was established on 1 November 2007 under the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007. Its key function is to ensure that all programmes and qualifications offered by higher education providers meet the minimum standard set out by MQA.

MQA is entrusted with implementing the national framework known as the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF), to accredit higher educational programmes and qualifications, supervise and regulate the quality and standard of higher education providers, establish and maintain the Malaysian Qualifications Register, and provide for related matters.

The implementation of MQF means that there will be a unified system to interlink all the qualifications awarded in Malaysia (which includes higher education qualifications and Malaysian Skills Certificates - SKM Level 1 to 5) and serve as a reference point for all Malaysian national qualifications.

MQF is an instrument that develops and classifies qualifications based on a set of criteria that has been approved nationally and is at par with international good practices at the level of learning attained by the learners. This includes learning outcomes achieved and a credit system which is based on the learner's academic load. All the qualifications in the framework are based upon four classifications, which are: (1) learning outcomes; (2) credit; (3) objectives; and (4) field of study.

MQF consists of eight levels of qualifications in four sectors of education. The four sectors of education are the:

skills sector

vocational and technical sector

life-long learning sector and

higher education (university) sector

The eight levels of higher education qualifications are:

Levels of Higher Education Qualifications

Levels 1 to 3
These are the levels for skills certificates awarded by the skills sector; vocational and technical certificates awarded by the Vocational & Technical Sector; and certificates (Level 3) awarded by the Higher Education sector.

Levels 4 and 5

These levels are for diplomas and advanced diplomas (general degree) awarded by the Technical and Vocational Sector, Skills Sector and Higher Education Sector.

Level 6 to 8
Level 6 is for the first tertiary qualification, i.e. bachelor's degree with honours while Level 7 is for master degrees and Level 8 for PhD / doctoral degrees. Under the lifelong learning category, there are graduate certificates and diplomas and postgraduate certificates and diplomas.

Rating of HEI

Currently there are two official rating systems for higher education institutions introduced by MOE:

For private colleges : MOE launched a rating system for private colleges in 2011, aptly known as the Malaysia Quality Evaluation System (MYQUEST) which is carried out by the Department of Higher Education, MOE.

For public and private universities as well as university colleges in Malaysia, the Rating System for Higher Education Institutions (SETARA) is carried out by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). For more information, please refer to www.moe.gov.my and www.mqa.gov.my.

Conclusion

Education plays an important role for Malaysia in building a resilient nation, encouraging the creation of a just society, and maintaining sustainable economic growth. It is also through education that a country can develop global competitiveness, build a K-economy, and maintain sustainable environmental development.

Under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, the education system will focus on making changes to structural elements that are in line with international best practices of high- performing education systems. In preparing students for the demands of the future, structural adjustments across each phase of education will be made and resources maximised to provide the very best to Malaysians of all levels.

To realise the aim of becoming a centre of educational excellence, the government has allocated more than 20% of the national budget for education and training. Among the nation's goals are to: ensure that 40% of the 17-24 years age group will have tertiary education; provide primary school education for all children; ensure that 60% of public university lecturers possess PhD qualifications; and have 150,000 international students studying at higher educational institutions by 2015. Currently, Malaysia is already a popular destination for international students with a world ranking of 11th place in terms of the enrolment of international students.
References:

Study in Malaysia Handbook (8th International Education)

Education Guide Malaysia (13th Edition)

www.moe.gov.my

www.mqa.gov.my

Malaysian Education Statistics, 2013, MOE

Source: Study in Malaysia Handbook 9th Ed. - Chapter 1

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A Glance At The Malaysian Education System - StudyMalaysia.com

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Introduction to the Malaysian Education Structure Children in Malaysia begin their education as early as at the age of four at pre-schools although this is not compulsory. Primary education starts when the child reaches the age of six on the first da...

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Thirusanku, J. & Melor Md Yunus. (2014). Status of English in Malaysia. Asian Social Science, Vol.10, No.14, pp254-260

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Thirusanku, J. & Melor Md Yunus. (2014). Status of English in Malaysia. Asian Social Science, Vol.10, No.14, pp254-260

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A new teaching and learning system to enhance the proficiency in English among public university students will be implemented from September onwards. This is to help the undergraduates communicate in English and prepare them to meet the requirements of the working world.

Essentially, students will learn English according to three tiers namely, English for Employment, Intensive English and General English. The introduction of the three-tier system would address the different levels of preparedness, motivation and more importantly, purpose for learning English among undergraduates. According to Professor Datuk Dr Rujhan Mustafa, the Higher

Education Ministry’s director-general, expanding on the English for Employment category would help students develop job search strategies and equip themselves with the necessary language skills (NST 18, June 2012).

According to Professor Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang, vice-chancellor of University Technology Malaysia, English cannot be taught in the classroom alone. Language can be learned only if there are practical applications. That is why it is important to expose students and provide opportunities for them to use the language (NST 24, June 2012).

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Juliana Othman (2005) English language may not be the medium of instruction in most universities in Msia, majority of the reference materials are written in English. University students are expected to read that.

Students who are not proficient in English, could be obstructed from obtaining information from variety of materials as vast amount of time were spent to understand the material (Wahiza Wagi, 2013)