Courses offered by Public University 'subsidiaries'

A reader notified me of this latest trend among our public universities - setting up 'subsidiaries' which offer courses such as diplomas or executive diplomas which are not recognized by other public universities or the Public Service Commission (PSC). Two problems ensue - students who take up these courses thinking that they are 'recognized' courses and employers who employ these students thinking that these courses are also 'recognized'. I'll reproduce some of the NST articles below (for posterity) and then comment on the other side.

1st NST article - SpotLight/Unrecognised qualifications: 'Subsidiaries must offer accredited courses'

KUALA LUMPUR: Courses offered by subsidiaries of public universities should be endorsed by the Public Service Department (PSD) or the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).
Former Higher Education Ministry director-general Prof Datuk Dr Hassan Said said this was to ensure that the courses would not create problems for people wishing to obtain higher qualifications or pursue career development.

Hassan explained that the corporatisation of public universities as proposed by the Education Ministry in 1998 was to enable public universities to generate external income to provide better services and facilities.

"That is why we allow universities to set up holdings, joint companies and subsidiaries to conduct business activities.

"However, these activities must relate to the core business or activities of the university," said Hassan, who is now Taylor's University College vice-chancellor and president.
He said this was how public universities started having incubators, research consultancy, distant learning programmes and franchise programmes as well as partnerships with private colleges.

Universities also diversified their academic activities by offering part-time programmes for people who were employed.

"We supported the idea as it allowed the universities to generate income and promote lifelong learning.

"For example, this allowed people who are working in supermarkets, factories and banks to continue to study without leaving their jobs"

The universities had to ensure that these programmes underwent processes set by the Higher Education Ministry to enable them to gain recognition.

"They should not compromise on quality and should have in place a proper quality assurance framework for their executive programmes.

"I think it is wrong for subsidiaries of public universities to offer something that is not recognised by national recognition bodies.

"It should be recognised unless it is a tailor-made programme for special skills requested by a company like retail training for hypermarkets.

"If it is not recognised, this could lead to the student being misled by the public university logo in the advertisement promoting the course he signed up for.

"It is unthinkable for the public that programmes by the public university are not recognised by the authorities, and worse still, not by its own university."

Hassan explained that executive programmes were the same as any programme offered to full-time students, except that it was offered the "executive" way.

"Students should understand that an executive programme is meant for those in the workforce.

"It is meant for someone who is trying to upgrade themselves."

Hassan suggested that subsidiaries of public universities look at high-end programmes such as executive postgraduates and certain types of academic programmes that the other institutions could not afford to offer.

There should not be competition between the private and public sector.

"It is inappropriate for senior public universities to get involved in low-level programmes like certificates and diplomas which should be handled by other institutions like community colleges and polytechnics.

"They should instead focus on programmes for high-end knowledge-based communities like professionals, as well as be more active in research and innovation activities.

"The huge investment by the public should be returned appropriately," he added.

2nd NST Article - SpotLight/Unrecognised qualifications: It's not quite a UM diploma

You open the newspapers and an advertisement featuring the logo of a prominent public university jumps out at you. The ad offers an executive diploma programme at affordable rates and, to sweeten the deal, it can be done part-time. But these qualifications may not be recognised by the Public Service Department or the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. SONIA RAMACHANDRAN finds out what such qualifications mean.
MAY (not her real name) wanted to know more about human resources.

An advertisement in the newspaper with a Universiti Malaya (UM) logo caught her eye.

It was offering an executive diploma in human resource management.

"I thought 'Wow! It's UM and it is not easy to get in there' so I joined and paid the deposit," she said.
"I thought it was an accredited and recognised degree as it was from UM. Classes were also held in the UM campus and that added to the impression the qualifications were UM qualifications."

Only after paying more than RM7,000 and joining the course did May realise that she had joined the University of Malaya Centre for Continuing Education (UMCCed) and not UM.

"I still thought it was all right as it carried the UM name."

On the first day of class, May said they were told their diploma was recognised by Open University Malaysia.

Their diploma was not recognised by other public universities or the Public Service Department.

"This centre emphasises life-long learning, but how is this life-long learning when there is no avenue to do so as the diploma is not recognised by any accreditation body?

"If they cannot carry out the mission statement, it is an embarrassment to say this is a centre for continuous education. It is an insult to our intelligence."

Then they found out that their executive diploma in human resource management was not even recognised by UMCCed.

"After finding out that our qualifications were not recognised by Open University Malaysia, I had no choice but to continue with my degree in UMCCed.

"That was when I was told that I could not do so as my diploma in HR management was not approved by the UM Senate," said a student who wanted to be identified only as Sarip.

A Higher Education Department officer said UMCCed was a subsidiary owned by UM and established under the Companies Act.

The qualifications awarded by UMCCed, said the officer, should be treated the same as any qualification offered by a private higher educational institution.

The National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) received 450 complaints in 2007 on misleading advertisements by higher education institutions.

Last year, there were 350 complaints.

Among these complaints were those regarding courses offered by "subsidiaries" of public universities offering "executive" courses.

NCCC chief executive officer Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah said they received complaints that the students of subsidiaries of public universities received briefings in the public university itself.

"Some of these 'subsidiaries' have a campus outside the public university but when they recruit and give briefings, they do it on the public university's premises.

"The location provides the student with the impression that the course is affiliated with the university."

Sha'ani said the Higher Education Ministry should impose some regulations on these subsidiaries.

Malaysian Qualifications Agency chief executive officer Datuk Dr Syed Ahmad Hussein said most of the courses offered by the commercial arms of public universities, particularly the executive diplomas, did not fall within the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF).

"The commercial arms are subsidiaries of the universities and are subject to their rules and regulations.

"Executive diplomas and other qualifications with the word 'executive' do not fall under us.

"But we have formed a technical committee last month, made up of top scholars, to advise MQA on some qualifications like associate degrees, executive diplomas and executive bachelor degrees that are offered around the world that have not been fitted into our framework."

Syed Ahmad said while seeking accreditation was not compulsory under the MQA Act, other related higher education acts, as well as the provisions made by funding agencies and foreign governments made accreditation of courses mandatory.

The Ministry of Higher Education also makes it compulsory for programmes in all institutions of higher learning to be in compliance with the MQF by 2011.

One proof of this compliance is accreditation.

"We are aware of courses by these commercial arms and are talking to the Higher Education Ministry and the public universities to see how these courses can be brought in line with the spirit and letter of the framework."

He advised students to always check the status of their courses when they were in doubt.

"Our door is always open. We will never reject any query or complaint and will forward it to the relevant agency or department if it does not fall under us."

Higher Education Department director-general Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said any programme offered by any university in any form, had to be governed by MQF.

Under the framework, he said, the learning outcome, specifications and attributes of the programmes were specified.

"MQF is flexible in the sense that the method of delivery of the course can differ so long as it meets the attributes defined.

"Universities offering programmes in whatever form have to get them accredited."

3rd NST article - SpotLight/Unrecognised qualifications: Varsity defends centre

A UNIVERSITI Malaya spokesman said the University of Malaya Centre for Continuing Education (UMCCed) was a part of the university and was considered one of its faculties.
On whether the qualifications conferred by UMCCed were recognised by the Public Service Department, he said: "Actually, no. But, you have to look at the history of UMCCed to understand this.

"The UMCCed was set up to promote lifelong learning so that a person who had no opportunity to study while he was growing up could be provided with the chance to do so.

"It is not recognised by the PSD as the target students for UMCCed are those in the private sector."

Are the courses accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, which was formerly known as the National Accreditation Board?
"Because the target group for courses at UMCCed are different from those for normal courses, there is no need for accreditation. The entry requirement for qualifications is based on working experience, so accreditation is not necessary."

So who recognises these qualifications?

"The private sector," he said.

The problem here is that many people will see the UMCCed as part of UM and think that the diplomas issued by UMCCed are equivalent to UM degrees which is clearly not the situation. Our public universities need to be more careful in setting up these subsidiaries and the MOHE as well as the MQA should monitor this trend very carefully including asking these 'subsidiaries' to highlight the fact that their diplomas are not publicly recognized. If not, both students and employers will be fooled.