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Friday, April 01, 2011

Apex university must have apex quality

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on all 20 public universities in Malaysia to aim for higher ranking in the world including the QS system of assessment.

This includes Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) which has been conferred Apex status that means extra funding being approved by Parliament.

On 31.3.2011, the Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ho replied to my question on the performance of USM as an Apex university, saying that the Apex system and the QS system of assessment of universities is different. For example, Apex is more concerned with local potential to excel.It has only 5% foreign lecturers and students. Its world ranking is lower than University of Malaya(MU). This type of excuse is unconvincing.

Just as other universities, USM has some research fndings which are good. But, the amount and quality of research matter.

Harvard University ranks first in the world ranking. It has huge funding and good tradition. It is not fair to compare our universities such as USM and MU with this university. What univeristies like USM, MU and UKM should aim at is to get within 100 top universities in the world.

Malaysians expect USM as the Apex university to reach the apex. All 20 public universities in Malaysia should aim at improving their world ranking.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

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