35 varsities and colleges get excellent ratings

SHAH ALAM: Thirty-five higher education institutions achieved Tier Five or “excellent'' status under the Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education 2011 (Setara).

The 35 comprise 13 public universities while the rest were private universities and university colleges.

These include the five research universities - Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia while private institutions included Sunway University and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Another 16 institutions were classified as Tier Four or “Very Good'' while one achieved Tier Three or “Good'' status.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who announced the Setara results, said no institution managed to get the highest classification of Tier Six or “outstanding” status.

“The overall performance of the 52 universities and university colleges involved in Setara 2011 was satisfactory,” he told reporters after attending the Malaysian Qualifications Agency's fifth anniversary celebrations.

He said no university or university college was categorised under Tier Two (satisfactory) and Tier One (weak).

Started in 2007, Setara rates universities and university colleges based on the quality of their teaching and learning for undergraduate study.

Mohamed Khaled also announced the results of the Malaysian Research Assessment Instrument (MyRA) where universities are given “star ratings” for their research, development and commercialisation efforts.

He said UM, UKM, UPM and USM received the top rating of six stars under MyRA.

Mohamed Khaled said that it was not compulsory for institutions to be rated by Setara or MyRA.

“We're not going to force it (the ratings) on any university, but there will be policy implications from the results.

“For example, the International Islamic University Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Petronas which got five stars under MyRa can apply for research incentives of RM5mil,” he said.