MQA decides on accreditation, recognition of qualifications

CYBERJAYA: Since January, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) has been mandated to decide on accreditation and recognition of academic programmes.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the MQA had previously been in charge of accreditation only while the recognition of academic programmes was under the purview of the Standing Committee Assessment and Qualification Recognition (JTPPK) and the Public Service Department (PSD).
"Apart from avoiding duplication of work, it is believed having one agency to award both accreditation and recognition will help overcome problems such as fraudulent programmes and academic certificates which had been reported previously," he said.
Speaking to reporters after officiating the new MQA building, Mercu MQA here today, Idris said the accreditation and recognition of qualifications by MQA were important as a point of reference for the appointment of public service.
However, he added, the appointment to the public service was still under purview of the PSD.
MQA chief executive officer Prof Datuk Dr Rujhan Mustafa said the acquisition of the five-storey Mercu MQA at RM59.9 million in Jalan Teknokrat 7 would provide returns as the facility opened for rental to other government agencies such as the Immigration Department and the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), as well as private companies.
Before moving to the new building, MQA had been operating from the Menara PKNS in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. — Bernama