Malaysian Qualifications Agency

MQA-1 and MQA-2 (Part I) By: Nabhan D. Salih

Malaysian Qualifications Agency

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency ( Malay : Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia) or the MQA is a statutory body in Malaysia set up under the Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007 to accredit academic programs provided by educational institutions providing post secondary or higher education and facilitate the recognition and articulation of qualifications.

The role of MQA 1/2

The main role of the MQA is to implement the

Malaysian Qualifications Framework

(MQF) as a basis for quality assurance of higher education and as the reference point for the criteria and standards for national qualifications.

The role of MQA 2/2

Specifically the functions of the MQA are:  To implement MQF as a reference point for Malaysian qualifications;  To develop standards and credits and all other relevant instruments as national references for the conferment of awards with the cooperation of stakeholders;  To quality assure higher education institutions and programmes;  To accredit courses that fulfill the set criteria and standards;  To facilitate the qualifications; and recognition and articulation of  To maintain the Malaysian Qualifications Register (MQR).

The MQA also evaluates foreign qualifications and assesses it for equivalency with Malaysian secondary school and university preparatory qualifications

Qualifications Framework

The

Malaysian Qualifications

Framework ( Malay : Kerangka Kelayakan Malaysia) or the MQF is a unified system of post secondary qualifications offered on a national basis in Malaysia.

It is administered by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), a statutory body under the purview of the of Higher Education (MOHE).

Ministry  The MQF was adopted in 2007

Evolution of QA System in Malaysian

From 2007 Single Framework/ Single Agency 2002-2007 Dualistic QA System -LAN Acts for Private HEP -QA Division (MOHE) for public Institutions 1996-2002 QA as Institutional Matter

Qualification awarding sectors

• The framework divides all qualifications into three sectors, correlating with the type of institution offer the courses: Skills sector • Malaysian Skills Certificate 1-3 , Malaysian Skills Diplomas 4 , Malaysian Skills Advanced Diploma 5 Vocational and Technical sector • Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma Higher Education sector Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate & Diploma, Bachelor's Degree, Postgraduate Certificate & Diploma, Master's Degree, Doctoral Degree

MQF qualifications and levels chart

MQF qualifications and levels chart

Proposed Minimum Credit

Programme Accreditation

 Provisional Accreditation Provisional Accreditation is an exercise to determine whether a programme has met the minimum quality requirements preliminary to full accreditation  Full Accreditation Full Accreditation is an assessment exercise to ascertain that a programme provided by a higher education provider has met the quality standards and in compliance with the Malaysian Qualifications Framework.

The Documentation Required 1/2

For Provisional Accreditation, HEPs are required to submit the documentations listed below: The MQA-01  Part A: General Information on the HEP. This is an institutional profile of the HEP.

 Part B: Programme Description.

This describes the programme, including its name, level, credit value, duration of study, entry requirement, mode of delivery, and the awarding body.

 Part C: Programme Standards. This provides the information pertaining to the nine areas of evaluation and the standards in each of them.

The Documentation Required 2/2

For Full Accreditation, HEPs are required to submit the documentations listed below: The MQA-02 This consists of an updated version of Part A, B and  To C as well as a Self-Review Report ( achieve Full Part D Accreditation, ).

each programme must be subjected to a programme self-review (internal) and programme evaluation (external). The HEP must complete and submit the MQA-02 , which is the Programme Information and the Self-Review Report.

The Programme Evaluation Timeline

There are two levels of programme evaluation that is Provisional Accreditation ( MQA-01 ) and Full Accreditation ( MQA-02 ). Although both share many common processes, there are nevertheless many differences. The following discussion on the timeline intonconsideration these differences.

takes

Provisional Accreditation Timeline

Full Accreditation Timeline 1/3

Full Accreditation Timeline 2/3

The MQA acts as the secretariat to the POA. An MQA officer will be involved in all the above activities in that capacity as a resource person.

Full Accreditation Timeline 3/3

Submission to Lembaga Akreditasi Negara (LAN) (English: National Accreditation Board)

Submission to Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia (MQA) (English: Malaysian Qualifications Agency)

Code of Practice for Programme Accreditation (COPPA)

What? Sets out guidelines to HEP and Assessors in relation to programme accreditation. Why?

To assist in the application for provisional accreditation, accreditation, conduct self review and in the preparation of programme and institutional self review and accreditation reports and programme quality enhancement. This Code contains an overview of the Malaysian quality assurance system for higher education. It guides the reader on the nine evaluation areas for quality assurance as well as the two levels of standards – benchmarke d and underline them.

enhanced standards – that

COPPA -S.2 Aspects of Quality Standards ( must comply/ should comply) 1. Vision, mission, educational goals and learning outcomes 2. Curriculum design and delivery 3. Performance assessment of students 4. Student selection and support services 5. Academic staff 6. Educational resources 7. Programme monitoring and review 8. Leadership, governance and administration 9. Total continual quality improvement

COPPA -S.2 Aspects of Quality Standards ( must comply/ should comply)

Benchmarked Standards

• Standards that must be met and its compliance demonstrated during programme accreditation exercise.

Are usually expressed as a ‘must’

Enhanced Standards

• Standards that should be met as the institution strives to improve itself and usually expressed as a ‘should’

AREA 1- VISION, MISSION, EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES Area 1 has: 7 benchmarked standards 3 enhanced standards  Guides the higher education provider (HEP) in its academic planning and implementation and Produce graduates through :    the provision of knowledge, skills, a quest for life long learning, and inculcation of values, and nurturing of the ability to analyze and solve problems and consideration of other relevant issues

AREA 1- VISION, MISSION, EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

1.1 Statement of Programme Aims, Objectives and Learning Outcomes

AREA 1- VISION, MISSION, EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

1.2 Learning Outcomes *

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY Area 2 is on curriculum design and delivery (used interchangeably with programme design and delivery).

Area 2 has: 19 benchmarked standards 11 enhanced standards Area 2 is divided into 5 subsections:  academic autonomy  programme design & teaching and learning methods  curriculum content and structure  management of the programme  linkages with external stakeholders

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY Sufficient autonomy MUST be given to:  design the curriculum and to allocate resources for implementation  also cover (where applicable) programmes franchised to, or from, other HEPs in line with national policies  The academic staff to focus on areas of his expertise The department should :  have a clear policy on conflict of interest  continually expand its boundary of autonomy and reflect its intellectual maturity academic

2.1 Academic Autonomy

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY     The Department must have its defined process for curriculum establishment , review and evaluation The Process must involve department’s academic & administrative staff The Programme must only be considered after a needs assessment must be considered only after resources to support it identified   The Programme Content , approach & T-L Methods must be appropriate, consistent , and support the achievement of programme learning outcomes Teaching-learning methods - there must be variety to achieve the eight domains of learning outcomes    The Curriculum should encourage multi-disciplinary approaches to enhance personal development of students The needs analysis should involve external sources feedback Co-curricular activities should be there to enrich student experience

2.2 Programme Design and Teaching-Learning Methods

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY Student achievements are measured by learning outcomes. These learning outcomes distinguish the varying competencies as to what a student will be able to do at the end of a period of study. Learning outcomes are based on eight domains:         Knowledge Practical skill Social skills and responsibilities Values, attitudes and professionalism Communication, leadership and team skills Problem solving and scientific skill Information management and lifelong learning skill Managerial and entrepreneurial skills

Learning outcomes are linked to the credit system which gives value to all student learning time and are not based on the contact hours between lecturers and students.

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY The programme must  incorporate the core subject matters essential for understanding concepts, principles and methods that  support programme outcomes fulfill the discipline requirements by recognizing appropriate standards and international best practice  be periodically reviewed to keep abreast of developments of the discipline and for needs of society The department should  establish delivery mechanisms to access to real time information through use of technology and global networking and to identify up to date topics of importance for inclusion in the curriculum and its

2.3 Curriculum Content and Structure

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY

The Students must:

 be provided with the most current information of programme aims, out-line, learning outcomes and assessment methods

The Programme must:

 have a coordinator and a team of appropriate staff  have authority and established procedures  be given adequate resources - for implementation and evaluation for quality improvement

The Programme Content & Delivery must:

 be regularly reviewed and evaluated and its results utilized to assure quality (must involve external examiners – for MQF level 6 and above )

The Department must:

 provide the student a conducive learning environment where scholarly and creative achievements are nurtured

2.4 Management of the Programme 1/2

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY

Innovations to teaching and learning

   should be developed, supported and evaluated be done in consultation with principal stakeholders and Review and evaluation involve external expertise nationally and internationally

2.4 Management of the Programme 2/2

AREA 2- CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DELIVERY The Department must  must have linkages with all levels of stakeholders outside the department - for the purpose of curriculum development - planning, implementation and review The Programme team should  Obtain feedback from improvement, student workplace exposure  employers placement, linkages with external stakeholders for curriculum training and Students should be given the opportunity to develop

2.5 Linkages with External Stakeholders

LAN-TC-01 Document 3: The Curriculum VS.

MQA-01 (PROGRAMME INFORMATION) & MQA-02 (MQA-01 & SELF-REVIEW REPORT) MQA-01/02 LAN Doc. 3

 Mapping of the course/module to the Programme Aims  Mapping of the course/module to the Programme Learning Outcomes

A credit the agreed-upon value used to measure a student workload in terms of learning time required to complete course units, resulting in learning outcomes’ (UNESCO, 2004)

Achievement of Learning Outcomes Teaching/Learning + Assessment Credit =

the measurement of students’ academic load

Teaching Learning Activities

Lecture Tutorial Laboratory Project Work Presentation Revision Study Tour Case study Demonstration E-Learning Assignments Clinical Work attachment Studio work Group Assignment Examination Field Work Industrial training Group Discussion Research Project Directed reading e.g. 4 800 notional SLT = 120 credits

Total SLT 40 Credit

Student Learning Time (SLT)

Proposed student independent learning time

Item

Lecture Tutorial Tutorial (involving case studies) Laboratory (including report writing) Undergraduate Final Year Project/ Dissertation Studio Work Presentation Coursework/Assignment Creative Writing (or a project that last a whole semester)

Duration (hours) or requirements

1 1 1 3 6 - 10 credits 2 1 2000 words 100 – 150 pages

Proposed Student Self Learning Time (hours)

1-2 1-2 3 2-3 200 - 400 2 3-4 10 - 12 8-10 Examination 3 10 – 20* Source: Bengkel Kebangsaan Pemantapan Sistem Kredit MQF, 31 Jan. – 2 Feb. 2005 by Quality Assurance Division, Ministry of Higher Education (Malaysia).

* Proposed by MQA, depending on the field of study and the intensity of the examination.

Learning Activities 1 Lectures

a Attending Lectures Pre and Post preparation* b

2 Tutorial

a Attending tutorial Preparation for tutorial* b

3 Laboratory

a Practical b Prepreparation and Report writing* Module Academic Load & Credits

SLT (in hours) (54)

24 30

(18)

9 9

(36)

24 12

Learning Activities 4 Assessments

a .

1 continuos assessement (1 hour + 3 hours preparation*) b . 1 presentation (1 hour + 5 hours preparation*) c .

1 Final Examination (3 hour + 10 hours preparation*)

Total Subject Credit (131 ÷ 40 = 3.27

) SLT (in hours) (23)

4 6 13

131 3

Malaysian Qualifications Agency