Building capacity and talent pool
EDUCATION is widely seen as the key to increasing the wealth of individuals and the economic wellbeing of society.
Malaysia realises that to become a high-income nation, it needs to focus on building the capacity of its citizens by broadening access to tertiary education and ensuring institutional quality.
While Malaysian higher education has grown from strength to strength over the last decade – judging by the significant increase in university enrolment – it needs to keep evolving to stay abreast of global trends.
In this context, the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education) (MEB) was developed as a roadmap to prepare today’s youth for future challenges in view of the rapidly changing socioeconomic landscape.
As disruptive technologies such as advanced robotics, the Internet of things and work automation are expected to reshape business and social landscapes, it is crucial for today’s youth to be equipped with the skills and knowledge that will help them thrive in an everchanging world.
One of the aspirations of MEB is to increase tertiary access and enrolment in higher education. It hopes that by 2025, tertiary enrolment rate will rise from the current 36% to 53% while higher education enrolment from 48% to 70%.
This will require additional 1.1 million places, which can be achieved mainly through growth in technical and vocational education and training, private higher learning institutions and online learning.
Widening access to higher education
Open University Malaysia (OUM) plays a significant role in the equation as it is one of the pioneers in the field of open and distance learning. With its philosophy of liberalising education, OUM believes that everyone has a unique potential to succeed academically if given the chance.
According to president and vicechancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mansor Fadzil, academic criteria are not the only consideration for students to enrol in OUM’s programmes.
Unlike conventional universities, OUM accepts students with prior learning or relevant work experience, thus giving those who did not have a chance to study the opportunity to do so.
“What it means is that individuals with lesser qualifications but with years of work experience may now have the opportunity to pursue higher education. OUM allows them to do so provided they fulfil the entry criteria outlined by the Higher Education Ministry.
“Once they fulfil the criteria, they can proceed to take the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) assessment to determine their level of competency and readiness for enrolment,” says Prof Mansor.
He says that by giving due recognition to prior learning, the university attracts people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and communities to pursue higher learning. In fact, OUM is one of several national centres for APEL recognised by the Higher Education Ministry.
“This will indirectly encourage people to take up higher education, either for economic reasons or selfsatisfaction. It also helps Malaysians to embrace lifelong learning as a way of life and to support professional or personal development,” he adds.
Lifelong learning enables Malaysians to meet the changing skill needs of a high-income economy and maximises the potential of individuals who are currently outside the workforce through the process of reskilling and upskilling.
It also enables the development of personal interests and talents for a more fulfilled life.
The challenges of 21st century living will require Malaysians of all ages to constantly seek learning opportunities to enrich themselves. With higher education becoming more accessible and affordable, this is the reality now.
For more information, visit www.oum.edu.my