Norzaini Azman

The Langkawi Global Geopark: local community’s perspectives on public education

The study reported in this paper represents one of the first attempts at exploring the perspectives of the local communities on the designation of Langkawi Island in Malaysia as a UNESCO Global Geopark. It is premised on the widely acknowledged assertion that the local communities constitute an important group of stakeholders in the planning and implementation of development activities. Hence, the communities living in the geopark areas in Langkawi are considered important stakeholders who play a crucial role in the development of heritage tourism in Langkawi Global Geopark. This paper examines their views on their appreciation of the geopark as heritage, the interpretation of their shared values, the benefits and opportunities afforded by the geopark, and the extent of their involvement in the implementation of geopark activities. The findings point to the need for more support for public education programmes, and awareness initiatives aimed not only at ensuring community engagement with the development of Langkawi Geopark but also at generating stewardship actions from the community.

Choosing teaching as a career: perspectives of male and female Malaysian student teachers in training

This paper is motivated by concern about the decline in the numbers of males entering the teaching profession in Malaysia. It seeks to explore first year student teachers’ views of teaching as a career choice and to determine the factors that influenced their decision to enter the teaching profession. A total of 425 student teachers completed a questionnaire in which they were asked to rate factors that influenced their decision to become teachers following which a comparison by gender was made. The findings of the study reveal that male and female student teachers have similar motives in selecting teaching as a career. Generally, both groups emphasise altruistic and extrinsic factors. This paper discusses the findings in relation to wider issues concerning gender, and draws conclusions which may be helpful to policy-makers and institutions in the recruitment of students into pre-service teacher training.

Building future scenarios for Malaysian universities

Malaysian higher education institutions, particularly universities, are critical to the economic and social future of the nation. This is so as demands for pursuit of knowledge and innovations as well as for highly specialized and educated people have made university education highly important and a priority for the Malaysian government. This article presents the alternative models for Malaysian universities by establishing a set of scenarios based on the current model and future trends of Malaysian higher education institutions. The first section gives a brief overview of the Malaysian university system and the main forces that drive changes in the system. The second section discusses the project undertaken in scenario building which aims to develop alternative models of universities in Malaysia. The alternative scenarios conceptualized provide three main paradigms on the future model of higher education in Malaysia. The concluding section highlights the importance of understanding the scenarios applied to the future of the university as well as of understanding the changing role and contribution of Malaysian universities in the future.

Teaching and Research in Malaysian Public Universities: Synergistic or Antagonistic?

The Malaysian higher education system has undergone many reforms in the last two decades. These reforms have had radical implications for all aspects of the professional lives of university academics, particularly in their teaching and research as well as in their relations with institutional governance, infrastructure and facilities and remuneration. This chapter briefly discusses the consequences of the changing university system and institutional environments for teaching and research in the Malaysian public universities. It then examines a set of available data from the 2007 CAP study to investigate how academics use their time for teaching and research and how they perceive the teaching and research nexus. This chapter explores aspects of teaching and research using several determinants—perception of teaching and research environment, workload and preference, teaching and research processes, perception of a nexus—and compares them by university type. Several implications particularly in relation to the institutional policies and practices are offered to provide support for the coexistence of research and teaching in the Malaysian public universities.

Malaysia: Perspectives of University Governance and Management within the Academic Profession

The chapter presents the recent transformations in Malaysia’s higher education policy and systems with a focus on the management and governance of universities. It discusses how academics are presently interpreting their university’s internal governance system, how power is distributed and the main traits of decision-making processes within this period of policy and system change. The chapter sets the context by reviewing the structure of the Malaysian university system and its governance, and moves on to provide some descriptive data on the composition of academic staff in Malaysian universities. This is followed by a brief description of the working conditions for academics in the universities. It proceeds by examining selected data in relation to the management and governance of universities. The results, as well as trends and issues in the changing pattern of governance and management of Malaysian universities, form the background for a discussion of the Malaysian academic profession in the university system.

Academic Promotion in Malaysian Public Universities: A Critical Look at Issues and Challenges.

Abstract The expansion and transformation of Malaysian universities have generated major changes in the nature of academic employment and the structure of academic promotion in higher education institutions. These changes have considerable implications, in particular for the policy and practice of academic promotion in the public universities. We argue that despite sharing one common grade and salary system, distinct and significant differences exist in the academic promotion systems of the public universities. Drawing on one recent study on the academic promotion process in Malaysian public universities to contextualise our discussion, this paper highlights the complexity in the promotion process in these institutions. It also discusses and articulates the attendant issues and challenging aspects of the academic promotion process. We argue that the interrelated issues and challenges, and certain academic practices and habits stemming from the pressure to gain a promotion are pervasive, and that they affect the academic value system and work culture. We conclude by asserting the importance of applying a consistent standard for promotion within a single salary system and that the academic promotion system in the public universities should ultimately affirm and communicate core academic values, and also aim at obtaining evidence of excellent accomplishments.

Harmonization of higher education in Southeast Asia regionalism: Politics first, and then education

This original book provides a unique analysis of the different regional and inter-regional projects, their processes and the politics of Europeanisation, globalisation and education. Collectively, the contirbutors engage with international relations and integrations theory to explore new ways of thinking about regionalisms and inter-regionalisms, and bring to the fore the role that higher education plays in this.

Malaysia's National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN): narrowing the research-policy gap in a dynamic higher education system

Policy decision-making in Malaysia has long used an approach based on intuition, ideology, or conventional wisdom. But as Malaysian society matures within an increasingly complex policy environment, a move toward an evidence-based approach to public policy-making is called for. This paper discusses the experience of the National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN) in its attempts at linking research to higher education policy formulation. The main aim is to understand the perspectives of the IPPTN researchers regarding the use and impact of higher education research on policy-making, and the challenges they experienced. The findings provide insights into the future of evidence-based higher education policy-making in Malaysia and the IPPTNs capacity and capability for evidence-based policy research.

An Academic Life in Malaysia: A Wonderful Life or Satisfaction Not Guaranteed?

Reforms to Malaysian higher education have had radical implications for all aspects of the professional lives of university academics. This chapter outlines the changes brought about by the National Higher Education Plan that have affected and influenced university work environment including careers and job satisfaction of Malaysian academics. It then examines a set of available data from the 2007 CAP study to investigate whether the academic profession is still considered attractive by looking at the satisfaction level of academics in Malaysian universities. This chapter explores aspects of academic job satisfaction using three drive determinants (perception of physical facilities, perception of influence and perception of managerial support) and compares them by gender and teaching or research orientation. Overall, the data reveal that Malaysian academics show a considerable level of job satisfaction and that they have a high regard for their profession. Several implications particularly in relation to the institutional policies and practices are provided in order to foster a conducive working environment and culture that take into account the demands of the Malaysian academic profession in terms of job satisfaction along with its intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Higher Education as a Field of Study in Malaysia: Towards an Epistemic Community of Practice

Interest in the field of higher education in Malaysia rose dramatically at the beginning of the twentieth century as the higher education sector grew rapidly. At the same time, scholarly interest in higher education increased as the result of the reforms and transformations that occurred at both systemic and institutional levels. Based on a review of policies, graduate programme documents and data on HE research from the Ministry of Higher Education, this chapter provides a general introduction to some salient features of the evolution and current state of higher education as a field of study in Malaysia. It reviews the emerging nature of higher education as a field of study and the political and social forces that have shaped and contributed to its development. It also highlights certain characteristics, issues and developing trends which would provide a better understanding of both the present stage of development and the line of progress expected to emerge in the future. The chapter concludes that greater emphasis needs to be placed on research infrastructure, especially mechanisms for funding, storing and sharing research reports and materials.