Give universities more autonomy, says Saifuddin

 Former deputy higher education minister Saifuddin Abdullah says bureaucracy and political appointments are stifling higher education institutions.

Saifuddin Abdullah says eliminating political appointments to university boards could enhance the appeal of Malaysian universities to top scholars.

PETALING JAYA:

 Former deputy higher education minister Saifuddin Abdullah has called for public universities to be given greater autonomy and for a reduction in bureaucratic hurdles, saying such reforms would allow the country’s tertiary institutions to thrive.

In an exclusive interview with FMT, he said that while the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) plays an important role in maintaining academic standards and course accreditation, the agency’s slow processes and red tape risk causing Malaysia’s academic sector to fall behind globally.

“We must give public universities some form of autonomy. Currently, every subject and course must be approved by the MQA. While quality control is important, the MQA is extremely slow in approving new subjects.

“There are certain things that should require reporting to the MQA. In some cases, if you ask me, universities should be free to do as they see fit,” he said.

The MQA is a statutory body responsible for accrediting higher education programmes run by both the public and private sectors. It implements the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) as a basis for quality assurance of higher education.

It also maintains the Malaysian Qualifications Register (MQR), which validates accredited qualifications for employers and students, and facilitates international recognition.

Saifuddin urged the MQA to expedite the approval process for new courses, proposing that once a university meets a baseline standard, it should be granted a certain level of autonomy.

“This would lead to better and faster decision-making, especially in areas like science, mathematics, and information and communications technology. The pace of advancement in these fields is staggering.

“Gone are the days when research took years to yield results. Today, breakthroughs can happen in weeks or even days, and before long, your equipment is already outdated,” he said.

The Bersatu man also said genuine university autonomy cannot be achieved as long as political appointments continue to influence leadership positions.

Saifuddin also said vice-chancellors should be selected from among the country’s top scholars to foster academic credibility and attract international partnerships.

“There is a lack of scholars on university boards, and this discourages global academics from collaborating with Malaysian institutions.

“You have to excite people about doing research and draw them into the university. The best universities in the world attract scholars not just with grants, but also with reputation.

“They make scholars say: ‘I want to go there because I want to work with you, and I know you have a good team,’” he added. - FMT