Anticipating success
WITH three years to go before 2020 comes knocking, there is plenty of debate on whether the country has progressed sufficiently in the three decades since the launch of Malaysia’s grand aim to achieve advanced status or become a high-income nation.
While matters such as the rate of the ringgit is constantly on people’s lips, due credit has to be given to the companies and agencies that helped the country experience a shift from an agriculture-based economy to one that also includes the manufacturing of electronics and semiconductors, extraction of petroleum and a diverse range of metals, tourism, production of medical instruments, manufacturing of heavy machinery as well as a host of online services.
The continuous growth of these industries is a positive forecast of Malaysia’s economic future but the elevation to new heights is only achievable with the presence of skilled and specially trained professionals.
Therefore, it is a good reason for students to enrol in courses related to these industries as the demand for professionals is only expected to increase by the time they graduate.
In line with the 12 National Key Economic Areas that will propel Malaysia further forward in its quest for advancement, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) – the governing body responsible for quality assurance among the nation’s higher education institutions – has paid close attention to some of these industries and launched the Discipline-Based Rating System (D-Setara) that is aimed at ensuring Malaysian university students receive recognised and quality education. D-Setara is divided into four clusters: Engineering
Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy Health sciences
Hospitality and tourism
Healthcare has been among the highest multipliers in the country’s economy, aided by a more affluent society and more healthconscious lifestyles. The industry is projected to create 26,966 jobs and generate an income of RM6.59bil, with an additional RM4.96bil in new investments by 2020.
TalentCorp, which is a government agency entrusted with the task to attract, nurture and retain the best talent to enable Malaysia to reach its aspirations, has also identified the various subfields of engineering that are critical for the nation’s growth.
Among the various subfields of engineering are product, semiconductor, wafer fabrication, software design, radiofrequency, electrical, reliability, mechanical design and mechanical maintenance engineering.
Healthcare has been among the highest multipliers in the country’s economy, aided by a more affluent society and more healthconscious lifestyles.
The industry is projected to create 26,966 jobs and generate an income of RM6.59bil, with an additional RM4.96bil in new investments by 2020.
By 2020, 10% of the population will be above the age of 60. This will surpass 15% by 2030. The ageing community thus calls for professionals who are trained to address various social implications and healthcare concerns, leading to opportunities and new challenges for today’s younger generation.
In a statement provided by Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu)’s chief executive officer Datuk Idris Jala last year, the tourism industry is seen as being resilient enough to continue thriving despite occasional global socioeconomic challenges.
Tourism was the second highest private investment contributor at RM24.5bil and the third largest gross national income contributor at RM67.1bil in 2015.
Such numbers have since risen gradually, with continuous initiatives being implemented and international events held to make Malaysia a leading tourist destination focusing on leisure and business tourism.
While some academics may argue that there is still much room for improvement as the number of D-Setara-participating universities does not reflect the number of higher education institutions in the country and only one institution has managed to get a Tier 6: Outstanding rating for one of its fields of study, the rating system does provide students with a guide to understanding the quality of education available in Malaysia and should thus be an important tool in their decision-making process for tertiary education.