Polytechnics will have greater autonomy to offer programmes at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels in high-skill fields like artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors.
The move, said the Higher Education Ministry in a Facebook post on Feb 11, is part of efforts to elevate the status of polytechnics and community colleges as a primary pathway for higher education.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said there would also be comprehensive structural and legislative reforms, including a review towards drafting a new Polytechnic Act.
“Polytechnics and community colleges are no longer a second choice, nor are they a lower tier of education.
“Instead, we are elevating and empowering polytechnics as higher education institutions on par with universities, with their own distinct strengths grounded in skills, technology, innovation and industry relevance,” Zambry said in a Facebook post the same day.
He also noted that the Prime Minister had announced plans to upgrade an additional 10 polytechnics to Premier Polytechnic status under the National Higher Education Blueprint 2026–2035.
Currently, five polytechnics have attained premier status, while another five are undergoing assessment.
This will enable them to offer degree programmes comparable to those at international technical universities, such as those in Germany and Switzerland.
Additionally, the ministry’s polytechnic education and community colleges department is aiming to produce a total of one million graduates by 2027.
