44 degree courses at public varsities shortened by a year

 

Khaled Nordin at the closing of the ‘Jom Masuk U’ programme at Universiti Malaya today. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The higher education ministry has identified 44 courses at nine public institutions of higher learning (Ipta) which will be shortened and completed in three years.

Minister Khaled Nordin said with the course duration shortened from four to three years, the students can save on study loans and tuition fees.

“At the same time, this will give the graduates the opportunity to enter the job market a year earlier,” he said in his speech at the closing of the “Jom Masuk U” event at Universiti Malaya today.

He said this was part of efforts by the ministry to update and streamline programmes and courses offered by Ipta nationwide for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Khaled said the shortened study period would only affect Ipta programmes and courses that commence this year.

On the ministry’s new initiative to attract students’ interest and allow better access to higher education, Khaled said flexible learning was being offered by 19 public universities for 95 degree programmes. These would start with the new 2023/2024 academic session.

He said this was in line with the ministry’s proposal to introduce a hybrid and flexible learning system for students who will need to attend lectures at the university only in the first and final year.

On the first student development programme (Sulung) initiative introduced last year, Khaled said 10,000 students from B40 lower-income group families would be fully exempted from tuition fees at all 20 public universities.

These students are the first in the family to pursue higher studies.

“This initiative will have a financial implication of about RM30 million for all public universities,” Khaled said. - FMT