Why You Should Study a Course that’s Accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)

Check the Courses to Ensure that they are Accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) Before you Enrol

Students should know the important differences between accredited and non-accredited courses in Malaysia in order to make informed decisions. Choosing a course that is not accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) may impact your future working career in a negative way.

According to the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), accreditation is a formal recognition that a certificate, diploma or degree programme has attained the quality standards and criteria set by the MQA and in compliance with the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF).

The completion of an accredited course means that students are issued with a nationally recognised qualification. Accreditation is a status or achievement as a result of quality assessment by MQA. It is a commitment by MQA to all stakeholders in higher education such as students and parents that the programme accredited by MQA is quality-assured.

In addition, a course that’s accredited provides employers with the guarantee that what the graduate has studied meets the national standards and requirements, and is able to perform the tasks as required in the job.

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What are the Advantages of Studying an Accredited Course in Malaysia?

Besides being a benchmark for quality programmes, accreditation status by MQA has many advantages.

• Students are eligible to apply for loans from funding agencies such as the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN). An MQA-recognised qualification is also needed to work in the civil service. For example, the Public Service Department will use this accreditation status to recognise the qualification for employment in the public service. The Public Service Department (JPA) and the private sector will refer to the Malaysian Qualifications Register for service appointments,
• Having MQA accreditation also facilitates the credit transfer process if students decide to continue their studies in higher education institutions.
• With MQA accreditation, institutions can franchise their accredited programmes to other institutions, subject to certain conditions.
• Institutions whose programmes have been accredited can also use MQA recognition in their advertisements or any other statement.

What are the Dis-Advantages?

In contrast, a non-accredited programme does not count towards a recognised qualification. However, this does not mean that an unrecognised qualification is fake.

Courses such as those under the UK BTec Diploma are not accredited or recognised by MQA. It is a diploma from the UK education system where students without any credits in SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels may enter. BTec graduates are able to find employment in the private sector.

Graduates from unaccredited programmes may be self-employed and can even be hired in the private sector as employers have the discretion.

If you have at least 3Cs in SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels, it would be better to go for an accredited Diploma course so that you can continue into the degree at a private university in Malaysia.

How to Check if the Course is Accredited by MQA?

All approved and legitimate Higher Education Institutions (HEI) have approved registration codes by the government. These codes should be displayed on the institution’s website and programme promotional material.

Furthermore, students or parents may go to the MQA website to check the listing.

• Should you fail to obtain the information for the programme searched at this portal, you may also check the programme through the portal on the Provisional Accreditation http://www2.mqa.gov.my/pasp for the status of Provisional Accreditation.
• Search result that shows ‘No such record of the information in the database’ is likely due to one of the following reasons:
  (a) Programme has obtained Provisional Accreditation, however has yet to reach the level of maturity for the Higher Education Provider (HEP) to apply for Full Accreditation; or
  (b) HEP did not apply for Provisional Accreditation and/or Full Accreditation; or
  (c) Programme was conducted before 1997; or
  (d) Programme failed to achieve Full Accreditation.
• ONLY ACCREDITED PROGRAMMES offered by the Higher Education Provider (HEP) in Malaysia are listed in the MQR and it DOES NOT INCLUDE the offshore deliveries unless stated otherwise.
• For dual awards, ONLY THE ACCREDITED QUALIFICATIONS AWARDED BY THE HEP IN MALAYSIA are listed in the MQR. The award conferred by the partner institution will neither be evaluated nor registered in the MQR.
• Accreditation is granted BASED ON THE LOCATION where the programme is conducted by the HEP unless stated otherwise. Programmes conducted at other locations that are not specified in the MQR are therefore NOT ACCREDITED.
• Effective from January 1, 2017, the Government recognition for the purpose of appointment into the public service sector is under the purview of MQA. [Prior to that date, it is under the purview of The Permanent Committee on Assessment and Recognition of Qualifications (JTPPK), Ministry of Higher Education].
  To check on the status of Government recognition for the purpose of appointments into the public service sector before January 1, 2017, please refer to the Civil Service Qualification Recognition System (esisraf) http://www2.mqa.gov.my/esisraf.
  To check on the status of Government recognition for the purpose of appointment into the public service sector starting from January 1, 2017, please refer to this portal on the status information of programs under the statement of ‘Equivalency for Public Services’.

Accredited Prior Experiential Learning or APEL

MQA has now enabled Accredited Prior Experiential Learning or APEL, so those who had undergone courses that were not accredited or recognised might be considered for credit (APEL.C) or for admission (APEL.A and APEL.M) to higher education, or even be given formal higher education qualification (APEL.Q).

The APEL process is not used to gain access to employment but, rather, higher education. However, it shows the flexibility that MQA and the ministry allow to recognise experiential learning for higher education, which includes non-accredited or recognised courses or programmes