Learning from crisis: Malaysia’s quest for equity recovery in higher education

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Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin officiating the 8th Global Higher Education Forum at the Movenpick Hotel and Convention Centre, yesterday - pic by ROSLAN TALIB.

SEPANG – Not one to rest on their laurels and be pampered by complacency, Malaysia’s Higher Education Ministry has embarked on a soul-searching journey to restructure and heal the tertiary education landscape, previously wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

And to do just that, the ministry has set its eyes on equity recovery.

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Such was so because the viral pandemic – which had crippled the world – has exposed the vulnerabilities of not just Malaysia’s but also the global higher education landscape, said Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the inequity in higher education exacerbated as the shift to remote learning posed significant challenges, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who now face increased complexity in learning due to the digital divide, according to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin - pic by ROSLAN TALIB.

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"We must now prepare ourselves for a higher education landscape which is highly volatile and unpredictable,” Khaled remarked as he officiated the 8th Global Higher Education Forum 2023 (GHEF2023) here, today.

"It is undisputed that equity in higher education has worsened during pandemic times. The shift towards remote learning during the pandemic presented significant challenges, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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"For these students, coping with learning has become more complex due to the digital divide.

"This issue must be viewed from the perspective of the ability for every student to reach their potential despite their background or any other challenges they faced,” said Khaled.

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GHEF2023, a three-day event held biennially from Nov 15 to 17, features delegates and speakers from various countries presenting research findings on the theme "Equity Recovery – Higher Education in the Post-Pandemic Era," including Japan, Finland, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the Philippines - pic by ROSLAN TALIB

Hence, he added, the reason why it was crucial for a new learning model to be introduced so that Malaysia can have a more inclusive higher education environment.

Held every two years, GHEF2023 is a three-day event – from Nov 15 – 17 – involving delegates and speakers – from multiple countries including Japan, Finland, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the Phillipines – presenting research findings centring on the theme: Equity Recovery – Higher Education in the Post-Pandemic Era.

"We want to learn from other countries. We don’t want to be left behind,” said Higher Education director-general Professor Dr Azlinda Azman.

She underscored that suitable findings presented at GHEF2023 will be used as base for the formulation of policies to be opted by the ministry in order to fine-tune and improve Malaysia’s higher education landscape.

Higher Education director-general Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman aims to learn from other countries to avoid falling behind. Findings from GHEF2023 will shape policies for refining Malaysia's higher education, emphasizing lifelong learning and increased access for the younger generation - pic by ROSLAN TALIB.

"There are those who do not want to immediately go for higher education; they want to work first. That’s fine but, how can we provide access [to higher education] in the form of micro-credentials and life-long learning so that they can still learn while working?

"This is important. We want to see how other countries are handling life-long learning with much effectiveness and efficiency. We don’t want to remain where we are, we need to improve our methods, our delivery and identify the hurdles and the solutions,” she said.

Malaysia’s passion for improvement, in the context of higher education, has not gone unnoticed.

Dr Miki Sugimura from Tokyo’s Sophia University revealed that industry players in Japan’s higher education sector have always been envious of Malaysian universities’ ability to discover better ways to "internationalise” their education programmes.

Sugimura – who is a comparative and international education expert – also remarked that in a recent engagement session, a lot of Malaysian lecturers were keen on making higher education programmes more inclusive and equitable.

Dr. Miki Sugimura from Tokyo’s Sophia University highlighted Japanese higher education's envy for Malaysia's successful internationalization efforts. Sugimura, a comparative education expert, also noted Malaysian lecturers' keen interest in enhancing inclusivity and equity during a recent engagement session - pic by ROSLAN TALIB

In terms of ensuring inclusivity and fair access to higher education, Dr Hannele Niemi of the University of Helsinki shared that her country, Finland, had a workable approach, one that worked, relatively well, even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Of course, this – she added – was doable because of the country’s excellent technological infrastructure and all-round good internet access which allowed for proper remote learning to be done.

Dr. Hannele Niemi from the University of Helsinki highlighted Finland's effective and inclusive higher education approach during the pandemic, citing the country's robust technological infrastructure. She acknowledged the value of traditional face-to-face learning for university students - pic by ROSLAN TALIB.

"Learning is a very social process. When students are alone and on their own, it is very difficult to help them. If they were on campus, it would be easier for us to not just help their learning process but also give them the opportunity to do networking.

"Doing so is important because when you network with your peers, you’d find new connections and hopefully get good internships which will eventually help you enter the labour market once you graduate,” Niemi explained.