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an expansion of research, service and training programmes geared towards serving
higher education systems and institutions. Higher education is not only a new area
of research; it is a new area of policy.
Higher education consequently became a major policy concern in Malaysia,
leading to the establishment of the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) in 2004.
Since then, Malaysia has undertaken a series of comprehensive reforms in higher
education, which have implications for teaching and learning, and governance of
higher education institutions. Subsequently, all these reforms were encapsulated in
the strategic plan for higher education with implementation schedules. The develop-
ment of higher education became a priority in the policy agenda of the NSHEP
2007–2020.
The landmark for the beginning of higher education as a field of study in Malaysia
was the establishment of the National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN).
IPPTN is a research institution established by the National Council of Higher
Education in 1997 to serve as a consulting organization in policy research for the
Council and the Department of Higher Education. However, it was only 7 years later
that the institute took on a leadership role in higher education policy research. At
that time, the issue of unemployment among university graduates was becoming
increasingly serious, especially with high rates of unemployment among graduates
of certain disciplines and ethnic groups. The institute undertook a study on graduate
employability which moved it into a bigger and more prominent role in the develop-
ment of higher education policy research. The establishment of MoHE in 2004 and
the launch of the strategic plan for higher education in 2007 provided the right
platform for IPPTN to assert its role in the national and, later, regional higher educa-
tion landscape. However, from 1997 to 2007, research activity and compilation of
literature in higher education by the institute were limited and sporadic. This was
attributed to the lack of talent and competencies in studying and analysing higher
education. After 2007, more academics showed interest in higher education, most of
whom were affiliated to IPPTN. Furthermore, funding for higher education policy
research was rather generous with ample time granted to complete each study.
However, since 2013, when the MoHE merged with the MoE, IPPTN has been
mandated to conduct and coordinate only research deemed important by the MoE. It
is important to note that in July 2015, the MoHE was reinstated as a specific govern-
ment entity for higher education.
In August 2013, another organization, an entity essential to the development of
higher education, named the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF),
was established by the MoE and the Commonwealth Secretariat, London. For
Malaysia, CTEF is critical for the field, as it creates a network of communities of
researchers and practitioners throughout the Commonwealth countries (see http://www.
CTEF.com.my). The Commonwealth comprises 53 member countries in Africa,
Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific, all former colonies of Britain. CTEF
will hold periodic meetings and workshops that bring together their members and
often others with related interests, throughout the Commonwealth countries.
Malaysia now has two centres focusing on the field of higher education supported
by the MoHE.
N. Azman and M. Sirat