Quality – a driver in higher education
WHAT comes to mind when we talk about quality?
In the context of higher education, quality is often described as a university’s output. In other words, an institution’s mark of excellence is in its graduates.
However, quality must encompass more than that. It must be present in an institution’s work processes across all levels of operations, from the moment a learner enrols to the moment he or she graduates.
The European Commission (EC) states that learners must have the necessary knowledge, skills and transferrable competencies needed to succeed after graduation, and this must be supported by the right learning environment that recognises and supports good teaching.
Like the EC, Malaysia promotes a comprehensive concept of quality. As outlined in the current national higher education blueprint, this concept encapsulates graduates, institutions and the overall higher education system.
Quality is also represented by other factors, such as leadership, research output, delivery and an institution’s ability to support disadvantaged individuals.
At Open University Malaysia (OUM), we adopt a comprehensive approach to quality. I believe quality input and processes will lead to quality output.
Excellent and employable graduates can only be produced through quality curriculum, pedagogy, faculty members, learning materials, assessment, support services and various other elements in an academic programme.
Thus, I see quality not only as part of OUM’s efforts toward becoming a learner-centred institution, but also a way to “future-proof” our position as Malaysia’s premier open and distance learning (ODL) institution.
This is why OUM emphasises accessibility, affordability and flexibility as three key advantages for those who choose to study with us.
OUM’s nationwide presence through its 32 learning centres in major towns and cities as well as our use of e-learning and online platforms mean that our programmes are accessible to anyone, at any time and from any location.
Our commitment to costeffective measures, maintaining reasonable fees, and offering discounts, bursaries and financial aid means that academic programmes at all levels are affordable to most Malaysians seeking a tertiary qualification.
Likewise, combining the convenience of online course materials, a user-friendly
To enhance and improve the quality of our offering to working adults, there needs to be a commitment to constant checks and balances through proactive measures. Prof Datuk Dr Mansor Fadzil
learning management system, and a blended pedagogy comprising face-to-face meetings, e-learning and independent study allows for flexibility in teaching and learning.
These features are meant to cater to working adults who juggle multiple commitments as they undergo studies at OUM.
To enhance and improve the quality of our offering to this segment of society, there needs to be a commitment to constant checks and balances through proactive measures.
One example where quality is constantly evaluated is the teaching staff.
OUM not only relies on a pool of internal faculty members but also employs academics from public and private institutions as well as the industry.
This way, our learners will benefit from teaching staff who can draw from a broad range of knowledge and experiences.
Our more recent quality enhancement initiative involves appointing mystery shoppers to engage with frontliners across OUM’s learning centres. The results have been very encouraging, with the shoppers giving an average rating of 5.6 out of a maximum score of 6.
In summary, OUM’s quality initiative is spurred by an aspiration towards excellence in all aspects of the ODL experience.
While graduates certainly reflect an institution’s quality, we believe quality higher education must also be determined by measures to ensure an accessible, affordable and flexible learning opportunity to anyone who seeks it.