THE MALAYSIAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK regulatory strategy for quality

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THE MALAYSIAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKregulatory
strategy for quality

• Briefing for YB Dato Shafie Salleh
• Minister of Higher Education
• 16 April 2004

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Introduction International Development

• Bahagian Jaminan Kualiti (BJK) officially
  established on 16 April 2002
• Mission to develop a quality assurance system
  for public universities
• In developing the system 2 issues were addressed
• (a) establishing a robust QA system which will
  develop or strengthen the internal quality
  systems in the IPTAs towards self accrediting
  capability
• (b) developing the Malaysian Qualifications
  Framework as a reference point for QA ,
  international recognition and flexible learning

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Approach to Quality Assurance in HE
Promote public confidence that quality of
provision delivery of HE is always maintained
enhanced by HEIs
Nationally agreed Criteria Standards
Objective, independent reporting
Transparent procedures
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Transparent procedures

• Emphasis on
• Building data collection system for periodic
  institutional self study and report on areas of
  strengths, concerns opportunities actions
  being undertaken
• External validation of internal self study,
  colleagial approach in conducting visit discuss
  with relevant stakeholders students, faculty,
  administrators visit facilities
• Objective reporting, summary on public domain

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From QA to MQF

• QA REQUIRES CRITERIA STANDARDS
• Criteria standards in HE
• (national consensus)
• Criteria standards in specific disciplines
• (discipline consensus -10 already published,
  international benchmarks)
• Program specifications
• (institutional level)

STANDARDS BECOME REFERENCE POINT Malaysian
Qualifications Framework
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INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
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INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS

• GROWTH OF NEW FORMS OF EDUCATION DELIVERY -
  CROSS BORDER EDUCATION, FOR-PROFIT, ON-LINE,
  INDUSTRY RELATED WORKBASED SKILLS TRAINING,
  RECRUITING AGENTS ETC
• WHILE OPENING NEW OPPORTUNITIES, THEY CHALLENGE
  EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, POLICIES, FUNDING
  REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS
• COUNTRIES HAVE LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH
  FOR- PROFIT CROSS BORDER EDUCATION

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IMPACT OF MARKET GROWTH

• Students have more and more difficulty in judging
  the content and credibility of programs
• Cross border education may not respect cultural
  sensitivities
• Risks of market being joined by
• misinformation
• Low quality provision
• rogue providers
• Diploma mills
• Qualifications of limited validity

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Responses to Xborder education

• WTO
• negotiations from trade perspectives
• Sometimes not helpful
• Article VI (4) covers matters such as
  qualifications, standards and licensing.
• Educational
• responses focus on quality.
• Countries establish QA, accreditation,
  recognition of qualifications and information
  centers on qualifications.
• UNESCO and OECD (since 2002) initiatives to
  develop non-binding international guidelines on
  quality provision
• (guidelines would not supercede national
  authority to regulate the quality assurance and
  accreditation of the higher education system)

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April 5-6 2004 UNESCO/OECD meeting

• first drafting meeting of guidelines on quality
  provision of cross border education
• Objectives of guidelines
• Student protection
• Transparent readable qualifications facilitated
  by reliable user friendly information sources
  (proposal for UNESCO database on HEI)
• Transparent, fair, coherent reliable
  recognition procedures of qualifications
• International cooperation mutual understanding
  amongst national QA bodies and accreditation
  agencies

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Actors to be addressed by UNESCO/OECD guidelines

• Higher education institutions/providers
  recruiting agents
• Quality Assurance and Accreditation agencies
• Qualifications Recognition credential
  evaluation agencies, advisory information
  centers
• Professional bodies
• Governments

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Guidelines for HEIs

• Essential that all HEIs have strong commitment to
  quality
• Develop internal quality management culture for
  all parts of their activity including cross
  border
• Commit to continuously develop improve quality
• Ensure reliability quality of partners
• Create networks of HEIs devoted to quality

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Guidelines for HEIs

• Take action to enhance recognition of
  qualifications
• submit to QA regardless of delivery (e.g
  e-learning)
• provide transparent information( e.g diploma
  supplement, credit transcript, publish strategic
  operational plans be explicit about mission
  goals)
• Form partnerships, joint degrees that mutually
  recognise qualifications
• Review programs to ensure accurate description of
  learning outcomes competences

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Initial guidelines to QA accreditation bodies

• Issues QA accreditation adopted by gt60
  countries but systems vary from country to
  country in terms of
• definition of quality
• Purpose function of the system
• Methodologies used in QA accreditation
• Scope function of responsible agency/unit
• Voluntary or compulsory nature of participation
• While respecting diversity, coordination required
  to tackle challenges of growth in new forms of
  cross border HE

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Initial guidelines to QA accreditation bodies

• Use existing codes (e.g UNESCO-Council of Europe
  Code of Good Practice in the Provision of
  Transnational Education)
• Cross border cooperation mutual recognition
  between competent recognition authorities, QA
  accreditation agencies share information to weed
  out accreditation mills
• Re examine assessment criteria procedures to
  emphasise competence learning outcomes not
  only input process characteristics to adapt
  to e-learning other new forms of delivery

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Guidelines to Governments

• Encourage the establishment of a system of fair
  non cumbersome registration licensing of
  non-public non national HEI providers in their
  territory
• Encourage the establishment of a comprehensive
  transparent national systems for QA
  accreditation
• Encourage the ratification implementation of
  the UNESCO Regional Convention
• (Australia has even signed the Lisbon Convention
  to expand its market to EU)

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MALAYSIAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK
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OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

• Modus operandi
• Purpose
• Structure
• Pathways
• Implementation

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Modus operandi Bottom-up Multistakeholder
consultation

• Task Force
• National Accreditation Board (LAN),
• Department of Higher Education
• Department of Private Education
• Department of Technical Education
• Public Services Department (Training Division and
  Development)
• Public Services Department (Organization
  Division),
• Ministry of Human Resources Vocational Training
  Council
• Malaysian Professional Centre,
• Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and
  Universities (MAPCU),
• National Association of Private Educational
  Institutions (NAPEI) ,
• National Association of Bumiputera Private Higher
  Education Institutions
• Malaysian Professional Centre.

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Modus operandi

• First draft of proposal circulated for wide
  consultation among task force constituents
• Foreign Partner universities/Colleges
• Public and private universities
• Professional bodies certification bodies
• National Seminar July 2003 wider representation
• Internal consultations at MOE chaired by KSU

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PURPOSE of MQF

• Secure the standards of qualifications
• Support flexible education
• Facilitate mutual recognition

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Outcomes Expected

• Increased public confidence in the quality and
  standards of qualifications
• Clarity of typical learning pathways for
  progression through and across sectors
• Recognition of life long learning through
  Accreditation of Prior Experience Learning
  (APEL)
• Establishment of a common currency for credit
  accumulation transfer based on learning outcomes

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Outcomes Expected

• Increased public-private partnerships
• Parity of esteem among academic, professional and
  vocational qualifications.
• Transparent readable qualifications -
  presentation of qualifications in forms that
  enable stakeholders to gauge their intended
  outcomes as well as the system of education the
  holders have undergone (e.g EU diploma
  supplement).
• Better articulation of equivalence of
  qualifications from other countries

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USE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

• International Standards Classification of
  Education (ISCED 1997)
• Globally accepted best practices that are used in
  developing standards in specific fields of study
• Relevant ISO/IEC guides adopted by the Department
  of Standards (DSM) -facilitate international
  mutual recognition agreements (criteria for
  bodies operating accreditation and certification
  systems, including certification of persons)
• UNESCO/Council of Europe/Lisbon Convention

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LEVELS OF MQF
TECH VOCATIONAL
LIFE LONG LEARNING
ACADEMIC
SKILLS
RPL
MQF 1
CERT 1
POST SECONDARY NON TERTIARY (AFTER 11 YEARS OF
SCHOOL)

CERT 2B/3B TECHNICIAN CERT
MQF 2
MQF 3
4A STPM/STAM MATRICULATION FOUNDATION
4B TECH VOC DIPLOMA
4C SKILLS DIPLOMA
RPL
MQF 4
RPL
MQF 5
(GEN DEG)
ADV DIPLOMA
GRAD CERT DIPLOMA
BACHELOR (HONS)
FIRST STAGE TERTIARY
MQF 6
MQF 7
POSTGRAD CERT DIPLOMA
MASTER
SECOND STAGE TERTIARY
PhD DOCTORALS
MQF 8
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EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE DIPLOMA, (POSTGRADUATE
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS), FELLOW
PhD HIGHER DOCTORATE
Recognition of Prior Learning
(RPL)

OVERSEAS QUALIFICATIONS

PROFESSIONAL MASTERS (4 YRS) MASTERS BY
RESEARCH COURSE WORK COMBINED

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE DIPLOMA,
BACHELOR (HONS) (3-5 Yrs)
ADV DIPLOMA
ADV DIPLOMA
SKILLS DIPLOMA
VOCATIONAL DIPLOMA
STPM/ STAM MATRICULATION FOUNDATION
TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATE
CERTIFICATE 3 (K-worker Certificate) CERTIFICATE
2 CERTIFICATE 1
OVERSEAS QUALIFICATIONS
TRANSFER DEGREE 30, twinning, credit transfer,
advance standing, external degree
SPM other approved qualifications
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Clarity about Qualifications

• Nomenclature
• Level
• Field
• Double Major
• Major-minor
• Guidelines on program design
• Learning outcomes
• Content areas credits based on learning
  outcomes which take into account total student
  workload in hours
• Structure teaching-learning methods
• Assessment methods that test achievement of
  learning outcomes

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

• 7 MAIN DOMAINS
• MASTERY OF BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
• PRACTICAL SKILLS
• SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• ETHICS, SHARED VALUES PROFESSIONALISM
• SCIENTIFIC METHOD, CRITICAL THINKING PROBLEM
  SOLVING
• COMMUNICATION SKILLS TEAM WORK
• INFORMATION MANAGEMENT LIFE LONG LEARNING

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Learning OutcomeBachelor (Hons)

• Will have developed
• an understanding of a systematic and coherent
  body of complex knowledge, some of it at the
  boundaries of an academic discipline involving
  major studies in which significant literature is
  available at significant depth which provides a
  basis for postgraduate study and professional
  careers.
• analytical techniques and problem solving skills
  that can be applied in many types of employment,
  including in a professional context.
• Appropriate practical skills including ICT
  literacy

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Learning OutcomeBachelor (Hons)

• possess necessary attributes and thinking skills
  to undertake research, comprehend and evaluate
  new information and concepts from a range of
  sources, weigh evidence, arguments and
  assumptions, to reach sound judgments,
• will have developed information management skills
  a foundation for self-directed and life long
  learning and
• possess oral, written interpersonal
  communication and team skills appropriate for
  employment.
• have the qualities necessary for employment in
  situations requiring the exercise of personal
  responsibility and ethical decision-making in
  complex and unpredictable circumstances.

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IMPLEMENTATION
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Implementation strategy 1ONE STOP CENTER
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PROCESS OF PROGRAMME APPROVAL, MONITORING
CERTIFICATION
MINISTER OF HIGHER LEARNING
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE
MQA
ONE STOP CENTRE FOR PROGRAMME APPROVAL Step 2
EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL FOR NEW PROGRAMMES OR
COURSES FOR CONFORMITY TO (a) Established
Policies (relevance, viability, quality) (b)
Discipline/ Programme Standards Representatives
of MQA, Higher Learning Divs, MLVK, EPU, JPA,
AG, Certification bodies, private educational
institutions, industry, relevant govt agencies on
adhoc basis

Step 4 QA MONITORING CERTIFICATION
POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT
CERTIFICATION BODIES
University College universities
Colleges
Voc Tech
MLVK
YES

YES
Step 5 ENFORCEMENT
Step 3 issuance of letter
YES/NO/RESUBMIT

Step 1

Appeals/Complaints/Disputes/ Sanctions
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ONE STOP CENTER CRITERIA

• RELEVANCE
• VIABILITY
• QUALITY

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ONE STOP CENTER CRITERIA

• RELEVANCE
• Address HRD needs, national global strategic
  vision
• Appropriate outcome capabilities
• Professionally accredited
• Evidence of extensive consultation support from
  industry enterprise

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ONE STOP CENTER CRITERIA

• RELEVANCE
• Address HRD needs, national global strategic
  vision
• Appropriate outcome capabilities
• Professionally accredited
• Evidence of extensive consultation support from
  industry enterprise

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ONE STOP CENTER CRITERIA

• QUALITY conformity to program standards
• Access equity issues addressed
• Clear statements of learning outcomes
• Student Admission criteria effective learning
• Quality of teachers and teaching
• Integrity of student assessment system
• Adequacy of resources to support achievement of
  learning outcomes
• System of continuous quality improvement

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Probable members

• Representatives of
• MQA
• Higher Learning Divisions,
• MLVK
• EPU
• JPA
• AGs Chambers
• Certification bodies
• private educational institutions,
• industry,
• relevant government agencies on adhoc basis

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Implementation strategy 2

• Opportunity to incorporate quality system in
  education in the structure of new Ministry of
  Higher Education

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Quality System in Education
DSM
MQA
ACCREDITATION PROCESS
QAA UNIVERSITY
QAA VOCATIONAL
QAA SKILLS
PROFESSIONAL BODIES
CERTIFICATION PROCESS
PROVIDERS
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Other divisions

• STANDARDS, RECOGNITION TRAINING
• Dev discipline specific standards with
  stakeholders
• Assess comparability of local foreign
  qualifications
• Train accreditors

• ACCREDITATION
• QA bodies
• Professional bodies
• Life long learning (APEL)
• -Competency assessment
• MQF Information Center

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DECISIONS REQUIRED

• 1. APPROVAL OF MQF PURPOSE, PRINCIPLES
  STRUCTURE
• 2. ADOPT PROPOSAL FOR ONE-STOP CENTER
• 3. ESTABLISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY/DIVISION IN
  HE MINISTRY
• 4. FORMULATE NEW LAW (MQA ACT) AMEND EXISTING
  ACTS (PRIVATE EDUCATION LAN ACTS)

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TERIMA KASIH