Quality reference point
FOLLOWING the implementation of the Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency ( MQA) was established through a merger between the National Accreditation Board ( previously known by its Bahasa Malaysia acronym LAN) and the Quality Assurance Division of the Higher Education Ministry.
According to MQA chief executive officer Datuk Prof Dr Rujhan Mustafa, the agency succeeds LAN and represents the next phase in the evolution of quality assurance of Malaysian higher education, in tandem with domestic and international developments.
He explained that the MQA’s core business and dreams of pushing the boundaries of quality enhancement and to make Malaysia’s higher education comparable with the best in the world remains the same as LAN but its functions have expanded.
Launched in 2007 by then Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, the functions of the agency include:
Implementing the Malaysian Qualifications Framework ( MQF) as a reference point for Malaysian qualifications – the MQF is an instrument that develops and classifies qualifications based on a set of criteria that are approved nationally and benchmarked against international best practices
Developing standards and credits as well as relevant instruments to be used as national references for the conferment of awards with the cooperation of stakeholders
Assuring quality in higher education institutions and programmes
Accrediting courses that fulfil the set criteria and standards
Facilitating the recognition and articulation of qualifications Maintaining the Malaysian Qualifications Register – a national register containing programmes, qualifications and higher education providers accredited under the Act
International recognition
The MQA is recognised by the IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence, which is an international institutional non- profit association of ranking organisations, universities and other bodies interested in university rankings and academic excellence.
MQA’s SETARA Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education Institutions is listed in the IREG Inventory of National Rankings – a list that identifies and maps national rankings of higher education institutions across the world.