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The Star - Tuesday July 8, 2008
Decision soon on apex varsity
KUALA LUMPUR: The highly anticipated decision on which university
will be chosen as an apex university (a university with world class
potential) will be made soon.
“I will discuss the matter in Cabinet,” said Higher Education
Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin at the Asean Quality
Assurance Agencies Roundtable Meeting at Legend Hotel yesterday.
“Hopefully we’ll know the university that will be chosen for the
accelerated programme for excellence (apex) before the end of
August.”
The nine universities vying for selection are Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti
Sains Malaysia, International Islamic University Malaysia,
Universiti Islam Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara as well
as two private universities – Universiti Teknologi Petronas and
Universiti Tenaga Nasional.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi first mentioned apex
universities when he launched the National Higher Education
Strategic Plan last year and hoped to see at least one named in the
Ninth Malaysia Plan.
Quality assurance experts from Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Phillipines, Thailand and Vietnam will
make presentations at the ongoing Roundtable Meeting.
“I believe the caucus or network of Asean quality assurance agencies
can enhance national capacity building, develop an Asean quality
assurance framework, share best practices, facilitate student and
programme mobility and recognise qualifications,” said Khaled.
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