Higher Education Ministry raises criteria for International institutions

Afterschool

September 19, 2012

The Higher Education Ministry is tightening on the use of the word "international" on the names of private institutions of higher learning (IPTS) to ensure quality and high standards.
Deputy minister, Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung said, IPTS using the word international had a responsibility to offer programmes of quality and comply with international standard in line with turning Malaysia into a regional hub of educational excellence.
"It also includes offering a campus with the characteristics which reflect an IPTS with an international status, with administrative blocks, faculties, lecture rooms, main hall and so on," he said after opening a function of the ministry with the South Zone IPTS, today.
Moreover, the IPTS in question must have a field and covered hall for sports and leisure, other than places for students to gather and hold discussions.
He said the ministry was also studying the legal implications of withdrawing the word international from IPTS which were still operating at shophouses.
"Before they were set up, all the IPTS had given their written commitment that the shophouses were only temporary. Unfortunately, some are still operating at shophouses after 15 years," he said.
He said, based on monitoring by the ministry, out of the 109 IPTS, there were 48 of them still operating from shophouses.

Company