Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA): Ensuring Education Quality

Rote learning and exam-centrism are two significant issues that plague Malaysia’s education system, hindering students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The lack of appropriate regulations to maintain private institutions and the inflexible and inconsistent public academic system are equally concerning.

This is where MQA accreditation can prove to be instrumental by addressing the prevalent issues and improving the core functions of educational institutions. Besides, schools and colleges will be motivated to implement policies and strategies that help meet the learning demands.

But what is MQA, and how does the accreditation process enhance the educational process in Malaysia? Let’s find out:

What is MQA?

MQA, or Malaysian Qualifications Agency, is a regulatory body that was established under the Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007 and carries out the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF). The MQF classifies all academic levels and qualifications in postsecondary education in a hierarchical manner, depending on international best and nationally approved practices.

The agency is responsible for accrediting higher educational institutes, evaluating programs, and ensuring quality assurance. Furthermore, it promotes the implementation of excellent teaching and learning methodologies that cater to developing a workforce that possesses in-demand skills and knowledge.

MQA enhances the overall quality of Malaysia’s higher education system by collaborating with the Ministry of Education and other important stakeholders. However, the accreditation process entails an elaborate and systematic procedure, wherein institutions must meet the set standards and criteria.

Standards and Criteria of MQA

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency evaluates higher educational institutes' quality based on a set of pre-established standards. It also critically assesses the programs and courses, helping to determine if the curriculum aligns with the industry needs and national development goals.

Furthermore, the criteria are based on MQF and encompass various components of the education system, such as:

Program Development and Delivery/Program Educational Objectives (PEOs):

This criterion assesses the relevancy of the curriculum as per societal demands and industry requirements. Also, it determines if the institute is committed to continuously improving its programs, depending on PEO assessment and feedback.

Student Learning Assessment:

Student learning assessment is a crucial criterion of accreditation and connects to the PEOs; therefore, the agency measures whether institutes utilize a variety of examinations.

Student Selection and Support Services:

This criterion is dedicated to verifying whether or not the institution has a fair and transparent student selection process. It also assesses the student support services, including faculty resources, support services, and other facilities.

Academic Staff:

Qualified and competent faculty is central to the fourth criterion, ensuring that institutes can facilitate effective teaching and learning. Also, it focuses on the teacher's qualifications, skills, experience, and capability to implement the courses and programs.

Educational Resources:

The fifth criterion evaluates an institute’s educational resources, such as infrastructure and necessary materials to support the educational process: laboratories, computer labs, libraries, e-learning materials, etc.

Programme Learning Outcomes:

The sixth and last criterion measures program learning outcomes and how they connect with program educational objectives. Additionally, it emphasizes program monitoring, reviews, and continuous quality improvement.

Educational programs and institutions must meet the quality standards and criteria and go through the step-by-step process to attain accreditation. The process includes a self-assessment and an external evaluation by a team of MQA-appointed experts.

Accreditation Process of MQA

Although the process is voluntary, it is deemed a strategic and fundamental step towards ensuring high-quality education and enhancing the reputation. Let’s take a look at the step-by-step process of MQA:

1. Eligibility Assessment:

In the first step of the accreditation process, MQA determines whether the institute is legally registered or recognized by Malaysia’s relevant authorities. A well-defined curriculum and clear learning outcomes must be central to the program structure and delivery.

The institute must have the necessary resources, including well-maintained infrastructure, facilities, and qualified faculty to deliver the program.

2. Self-Assessment:

Developing a self-assessment report is the next step, wherein institutes can form a team of representatives from different departments and conduct a comprehensive self-assessment. This step also includes gathering relevant documents, data, and reports to support compliance with MQA standards.

Furthermore, institutes must prioritize preparing clear and concise documents detailing the institute’s teaching and learning, community engagement, and research activities.

3. Site Visit:

MQA assigns a team of evaluators who visit the institution to carry out several duties, such as:

• Verify the accuracy of the self-assessment report.
• Assess the institutional facilities’ adequacy and suitability by checking the state of classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and administrative offices.
• Meet institutes’ primary stakeholders (faculty, students, and industry partners).

4. Evaluation Report:

The evaluation report is a comprehensive document that includes the assessment team’s findings, the institute’s strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations for improvement. Therefore, the report is crucial as it helps the MQA determine whether the institute meets the standards and criteria for accreditation.

5. Decision-Making Process:

The MQA committee evaluates reports and issues accreditation status, which could range from full accreditation to non-accreditation.

The committee delivers the decision on the accreditation, which can take four pathways:

• Full Accreditation: When the institute meets all the criteria and standards of MQA, it attains full accreditation.
• Conditional Accreditation: This indicates that despite meeting most criteria, institutes need to address specific areas of improvement.
• Accreditation with Conditions: The institute is to make significant changes and employ strategic action plans to improve its shortcomings.
• Non-Accreditation: The institute does not attain accreditation due to poor or substandard practices and inefficient teaching and learning systems.

6. Monitoring and Review

The periodic reviews and monitoring of accredited institutions by the MQA help to evaluate the institute’s continuous compliance with accreditation standards. The institutes must ensure to adhere to the regulations and criteria, as the agency can conduct unscheduled reviews to address particular issues and concerns.

7. Appeals Process

In case an institute is dissatisfied with MQA’s decision, it can apply for the appeal process, outlining the specific reasons with supporting evidence. The agency will appoint an independent review panel to assess the appeal.

Tips for a Smooth Accreditation Process

The accreditation process is quite a time-consuming process; therefore, a well-thought-out plan is a need of the hour to eliminate inefficiencies. The following tips can come in handy while applying for MQA accreditation:

Gather information on MQA standards and criteria.

Institutes must familiarize themselves with the standards and criteria of the MQA, helping to determine the crucial requirements that they must meet. The official website of the agency provides the necessary details.

Timely Self-Assessments

Despite institutes claiming to strive for the best in terms of institutional practices, certain shortcomings emerge during the site visit. Therefore, institutes must conduct timely self-assessments to find out the areas of strength and weakness, leading to creating an improvement plan.

Create an improvement plan.

Developing an improvement plan based on self-assessment is an effective mechanism to enhance the quality of education and institutional practices.

Include Stakeholders

Accreditation is a comprehensive procedure that must include the participation of all stakeholders, including students, staff, faculty members, and industry partners.

Mandatory Documentation

Preparing and organizing necessary institutional documents is essential, especially the syllabus, assessment plans, performance reports, financial reports, etc.

Review Policies and Procedures

Checking if the existing policies of the institutes align with MQA’s standards and criteria is crucial to ensuring compliance. However, if they detect any inconsistency, making necessary changes becomes compulsory.

Implement mock evaluations

Conducting mock evaluations enables institutes to recreate an external evaluation procedure, helping to highlight critical shortcomings.

Continuous Improvement

Even after achieving MQA accreditation, institutes must continuously monitor their practices, helping to improve the quality of education.

Organize institutional records

Institutes must maintain years of records, including governance documents, academic program records, strategic plans, student records, faculty records, quality assurance records, curriculum documents, etc. However, conventional methods of handling such records are tedious and error-prone; that is where MasterSoft’s accreditation software proves to be an appropriate solution.