By: Dr. Syed Alwee Alsagoff
Lessons From the Australian Universities Accord
The recent launch of the Australian Universities Accord on 25th February 2024 has resonated internationally, prompting reflection on its potential implications for countries like Malaysia, currently navigating our own higher education reforms. While the Accord’s 47 recommendations offers valuable insights, it is crucial to acknowledge the pitfalls of a “standardised” approach and embrace the complexity inherent in building a thriving educational ecosystem.
Beyond Enrolments: Equity Matters, but So Does Affordability and Inclusivity.
Globally, countries are implementing strategies to combat rising university costs and ensure equal access to education. Australia targets specific groups with expanded scholarships for its underrepresented students, while Chile grants free tuition to 60% of low-and middle-income students. Germany and the USA respectively bolstered financial aid for disadvantaged students and introduced income-based loan repayment plans. Rwanda’s Vision 2050 uniquely addresses gender equity by guaranteeing a university seats quota to female students in STEM and vocational courses.
However, for Malaysia, achieving true equity requires addressing affordability concerns. A 2019 Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) study revealed that 72.1% of SPM leavers (390,000 out of 560,000) enter the workforce directly, highlighting affordability as a crucial barrier. While the global examples illustrate diverse efforts, Malaysia’s solution must prioritise affordability to unlock the transformative power of higher education for all.
Compared to many developed countries, Malaysian families shoulder a considerably higher financial burden for their children’s university education, particularly at private institutions. While families in developed nations like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada typically dedicate around 10% of their household income to tuition fees, Malaysian families face a much steeper climb, averaging nearly 30%. This disparity is further compounded by lengthy repayment periods for student loans at private universities, sometimes extending up to two years’ worth of a full graduate’s salary. As a result, Malaysian students often face a significant financial burden to pursue higher education.
Interestingly, Malaysia instead attracts international students with our comparatively lower tuition fees, often just 30-40% higher than for local students, compared to competitors charging four times more. While successful, this strategy limits revenue and falls short of the OECD average, especially considering additional socio-economic costs for managing international students.
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While perhaps altruistically ballooning international students’ numbers is valuable for building positive international connections, it’s crucial to find a balance that also considers the economic realities of our country. A levy on international students that supports a redistributive function is a timely albeit radical policy step that must be explored, The Australian Universities Accord suggests a jointly funded “Higher Education Future Fund”, New Zealand already imposes an “Export Education Levy” and “International Student Levy” and UK’s “Browne Review” moots a progressive contribution model that can be more workable. This would balance the goal of affordability for Malaysians with the need for sustainable revenue for the sector.
But affordability for lower-income groups does not necessarily make higher education equitable. In fact, rigid educational structures can disadvantage underprivileged students, first generation learners, and those with diverse learning needs. This highlight the crucial need to ensure both affordability and equitable access to higher education for all socio-economic groups in Malaysia.
Neglecting these concerns mirrors anxieties expressed in the Australian Accord, which warned of universities becoming elitist and catering primarily to the privileged. This potential risk could significantly impede our higher education’s fundamental role in fostering social mobility and underscore the need for more equitable pathways for all socioeconomic groups in Malaysia, more so than any global “standardised solutions”.
Beyond Graduates: Fostering Innovation and Preparing for Change.
Gone are the days when universities were seen as mere “graduate factories.” Today, they are crucial hubs for collaboration and innovation, fueled by diverse perspectives. From the European Union’s €95.5 billion “Horizon Europe” program fostering research collaboration to China’s Special Economic Zones for Innovation bridging the gap between academia and industry, universities are driving global progress. Initiatives like Germany’s “Excellence Strategy” and China’s “Thousand Talents” attract top minds, while France’s PIA and the India-Dutch collaboration (IDCSS) highlight the importance of interdisciplinary research in accelerating innovation.
While growing collaborative research is commendable, today’s rising employability rates often mask a deeper concern: graduate underemployment and skill mismatch. Despite high graduate employment rates (rising from 75.4% in 2010 to 85.5% in 2020), underemployment in Malaysia due to skill mismatch remains a concern (graduate underemployment rose 7.9% last year). This begs the question: while streamlined, vocational programs can boost employability, is neglecting the demands for critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability leave graduates ill-equipped for a rapidly changing world? Germany’s Dual-Vocational system and Singapore’s SkillsFuture Framework, both launched around 2020, exemplify a promising shift. They combine academic learning with on-the-job training and upskilling, preparing students not just for jobs, but for lifelong career evolution.
Universities also have a pivotal role in shaping the future by bridging the academia-industry gap, and cultivating a lifelong learning ecosystem. They can empower graduates not just to find jobs, but to thrive. This ecosystem needs diverse learning methods that encourage independent thinking, experimentation, and questioning. Initiatives like France’s Personal Training Accounts and Singapore’s SkillsFuture Credits empower individuals with flexible learning options and financial incentives, recognising prior experience. Australia’s AU$2 billion JobTrainer program
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(2020) offers micro-credentials which further exemplifies the global efforts to create a dynamic learning landscape that fosters individual growth throughout the students’ life.
Beyond Academics: Fostering Student Well-Being in Higher Education.
While increasing learning adoption is crucial, a truly effective higher education system prioritises a holistic approach that extends beyond academics to encompass student health and well being. Supporting student mental health is a complex endeavour, requiring nuanced approaches that acknowledge individual needs and foster collaboration between educators, families, and mental health professionals. By empowering students through agency and building supportive environments, institutions can move beyond superficial solutions and cultivate holistic well-being.
This global shift towards systemic change is evident in various initiatives. Canada’s 2023 National Standards for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students, the UK’s mandatory staff training on mental health, and Japan’s curriculum guidelines all demonstrate a commitment to improving student well-being. Similarly, Singapore Polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) have implemented a “Mental Wellbeing Literacy Curriculum,” while the United States’ “Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act” (2023) mandates evidence-based plans. These initiatives highlight the growing emphasis on raising awareness and equipping students with the tools to identify and address mental health challenges. Ultimately, these efforts aim to empower students to thrive not only academically, but also in their personal journeys.
Beyond Easy Answers, Towards a Brighter Malaysian Future.
Our future beckons, but it is not guaranteed. We must move beyond the allure of easy solutions and eschew standardised narratives.
Our universities must transcend the narrow definition of “graduate factories” and embrace their role in building a future fueled by innovation, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Only then can they truly empower graduates to thrive in a world in constant flux.
Successful implementation is key. Bold pronouncements alone are insufficient as only time will reveal if our aspirations translate into tangible benefits for students, educators, and society as a whole. By embracing complexity and nurturing the diverse voices within our education system, we can pave the way for a brighter Malaysian future.
The author is Fellow, Majlis Profesor Negara
