The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) was created again officially following the Federal Cabinet reshuffle on 28th July 2015 (Tuesday) in a special press conference by the Prime Minister. This is in accordance with the provisions of the Act relating to higher education.

MOHE’s integral role in creating a higher education ecosystem with the finest Public Universities (UA), Private Higher Educational Institutions (PHEIS), Polytechnics and Community colleges. These institutions are the main components in the national education ecosystem and training to generate first-rate thinkers, scholars, masters, skilled and semi-skilled manpower in accordance with their respective roles.

To ensure the success at this role, MOHE has three (3) departments that manage the institutions of higher learning, namely:

The Department of Higher Education (JPT) – UA and IPTS;
Department of Polytechnic Education (JPP) – Polytechnic; and
Department of Community College Education (JPKK) – Community Colleges

Efforts to achieve this role are also supported by agencies with roles that are vital in higher education, namely:

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)- supervising and coordinating quality assurance as well as accreditation of national higher education; and
Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN)- coordinating the financing of higher education.

The higher education sector under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) is responsible for the operation of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Malaysia. The Malaysian government has the highest national development budget with a commitment to education.

The higher education institutions of Malaysia offer tertiary qualifications at affordable prices. The higher education institutions from various countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada, France offer twinning programmes through partnerships with Malaysian educational institutions. Some of the world-class universities have established their collaboration with the local private higher educational institutions.

The Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia have given autonomy in administration, human resources, financial and academic management by the` Minister of Higher Education. This is done to give encouragement among local institutions for excellence in higher learning.

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) is responsible for quality assurance and the accreditation of courses and other related functions for both public and private higher educational institutions. It undertakes the implementation of the Malaysian Qualifications education Framework and assures the quality of higher education in Malaysia. The Higher education provision is well regulated.

The following are some of the legislation:

The following are some of the legislation:
The Education Act 1996 (Act 550)
The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act, 1996 (amended 2009)
The National Council of Higher Education Act, 1996
Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007 (replacing the previous namely National Accreditation Board Act 1996 which has been repealed)
The Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Act, 1996 (amended 2009)
The National Higher Education Fund Corporation Act, 1997 (Amendment 2000)

The Universities and University Colleges Act and the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act are given below:

MOHE’s gives higher priority for the internationalisation of the higher education sector. Malaysian Universities have taken further efforts to improve in the world ranking system and to collaborate and cooperate with renowned universities on research and academic matters over the globe. The Malaysian government continues to create a friendly environment for inviting world-class foreign university campuses to be set up in Malaysia.

Australian Universities like Monash University, Curtin University, Swinburne University of Technology and the United Kingdom’s Universities like The University of Nottingham, Newcastle University School of Medicine and the University of Southampton are the universities that have branches in Malaysia. Higher education is promoted in many parts of the world through road shows.

MyBrain15 programme has been implemented to intensify to finance of doctoral studies to increase the number of PhD holders. SETARA (Rating System for Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia) ranking system in Malaysia measures the performance of undergraduate teaching and learning in universities and colleges in Malaysia.

Secondly, the ranking system named My QUEST (Malaysian Quality Evaluation System for Private Colleges) evaluates the quality of students, programmes, graduates, resources and governance in the private colleges of Malaysia. These two rating systems help the students to select institutions and programmes of study as offered by Higher Education Institutions.