Response To External Forces Driving Quality In Malaysia By Established Local Private Higher Educational Institutions
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Date
2011-01
Authors
Dass, Asha B
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This study is conceptualised based on Seymour’s (1993) contention that quality in any institution or organisation is usually driven by the external forces of accountability, competition, cost and service orientation. This study describes how these external forces identified by Seymour (1993) are driving quality in the context of private higher education in Malaysia. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the response by established local private higher educational institutions (PHEIs) that are members of the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (MAPCU) to the external forces driving quality in Malaysia through the quality inputs stipulated and emphasised by the government regulatory bodies for private higher education in Malaysia. These quality inputs are programmes, facilities and infrastructure, student services, academic staff development and, research and development. Two established local PHEIs in MAPCU participated in this study. The research design for this study is a pre-structured qualitative multi-case study. Yin’s (2003) technique of pattern matching to assumptions is employed to analyse the data. The findings of the study show that private higher education in Malaysia is governed through a strong regulatory framework. Hence, legal accountability is a strong external force in driving quality in PHEIs. Both the PHEIs that participated in the study share several similarities in their responses to the external forces driving quality. Both these PHEIs not only comply but surpass the minimum standard for the stipulated quality inputs as well as benchmark the programmes they
offer against international standards in their efforts to provide quality education in their institutions.
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Keywords
Response to external forces driving quality in malaysia , by established local private higher educational institutions