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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

AUDIT
1
Do PTJ can be excluded from Internal Audit? Do PTJ can be excluded from the certification body audit? What the auditors will ask during the audit? How many times have audit yearly? What is ISO? What is the purpose of the quality? What is a Government Circular is currently in effect which is used as a basis for the implementation of the ISO in UPM? Why there are too many records to be made and stored? Why internal audit must be held? What are the benefits of ISO 9001?

  • Not to be if PTJ listed in the scope of certification and this is to meet the standard requirements.
  • The certification body generally chooses the sample by rotation and needs.  CQA can apply but generally difficult to be exempted unless ask for appropriate date and time according to pre-defined audit period.
  • Normally, refers to the audit schedule,the scope of what is written on the details of the schedule and scope of the questions are based on the table and its more focused on the daily tasks that were implemented at PTJ.
  • Either systems,  QMS, ISMS or EMS in UPM only available two times only, namely internal Audit (carried out by officers of the UPM) and certification bodies (UPM has appointed SIRIM).There are also PTJ takes the initiative to implement Self Review before an audit for the purpose of reviewing the existing system is in good condition.
  • ISO refers to the INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDISATION.  This organization is a federated body that combines the organization from around the world who are responsible for creating the standard in their respective countries.  It was established on February 27, 1947 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ISO 9000 are used more than 150 countries in the world. ISO web site: http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage.
  • Quality is overall characteristics and attributes of a product or service that can meet the needs stated or implied. Examples of quality characteristics for the product is easily available, durable, clean, safe, can be tested, can be detected and easily transported. Examples of quality characteristics for the service is accuracy, convenience, politeness, efficiency, effectiveness, reliability, fast, honest and responsive.
  • Guidelines for the implementation of MS ISO 9001:2008 in the public sector dated January 1, 2010.
  • Such records must be provided and kept as evidence of progress. However, in order to reduce public record keeping quality, it can be stored in soft copy.
  • To ensure that the quality management system meets the planning, monitored and implemented properly and effectively. Any "Non-Conformity Report" (NCR) reported during the audit. Any discovery of whether the NCR or improvement opportunities of the previous audit, will be checked and reviewed during the current audit to ensure the effectiveness of the corrective action taken.
  • Implementation of ISO 9001 will benefit the organisation include:
  • Reduce the corrective action taken after the occurrence of a problem.
  • Allows the organization to identify the tasks to be carried out as well as detailing actions to be taken.
  • Provide structured method for documenting the management practices and ways of working.
  • Enable organizations to identify and solve the problem and prevent it from recurring.
  • Enable staff carry out the work correctly the first time and every time (right at the first and every time).
  • Allow the organisation to prove to the person making the assessment that services rendered and systems used are controlled.
  • Allows organizations to better decision making through the important information.
  •   Click here for more details.


    INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
    2
    What are the interpretation and a brief description of ISMS? Why do ISMS not cover all PTJ?

  • Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) is part of the overall system of risk-based management approach to establish, implement, operate, monitor, review, maintain and improve information systems.
  • ISMS does not cover all PTJ because these PTJ did not enter the scope of certification. 
  •   Click here for more details.


    ADMINISTRATION MANAGEMENT STAR RATING
    3
    What is the interpretation of the Administration Management Star Rating? What is measured and evaluated? When the evaluation criteria will be notified to the PTJ? When the evaluation will be carried out?

  • Administration Management Star Rating conceptually is one of the mechanisms of evaluation and performance measurement for each PTJ in administrative management.
  • The assessment covers three components namely, management, core services and customer satisfaction.  Measurement criteria in each component may change annually according to the current state of situation.
  • Normally, the criteria will be disclosed in conjunction with the Award of the Quality and Service Innovation (HKIP) briefing; between January to March, and will be displayed in e-ISO website.
  • The evaluation will be carried out by the leader of each criteria between April to September of that year.
  •   Click here for more details of HKIP this year.


    ORGANIZATION
    4
    Is the Centre for Quality Assurance (CQA) under Registrar Office? Is the Centre for Quality Assurance (CQA) same with Internal Audit Department, UPM?

  • No, it is direct under Vice Chancellor Office. Previously, it was a Unit under Registrar Office. But, start from end of 2015 it is being formed as a new PTJ that focus on the quality in UPM, wholly.
  • No, the CQA is focusing on quality certification and accreditation certification.
  • Click here for more details.


    5S
    5
    What is the purpose of the 5S? How can 5S contributes to development organisation? What is practices of 5S?

  • The practice of 5S is a management method that was pioneered by the industry in Japan to create a workplace environment that is comfortable, tidy and safe. 5S aims to create an environment where quality work in a systematic and practical. Implementation of 5S practices can effectively improve service quality, save costs and simplify work processes.
  • 5S able to strengthen the Department of Quality Management System based on MS ISO 9000, especially in fulfilling the relevant clause Resource Management Work Environment. 5S Implementation of an efficient, effective and consistent will give added value to the corporate image of the organization as a whole.
  • Here are the 5S practices:
  • Seiri (Sort) - Split focuses on isolation and goods that are not needed in the workplace.
  • Seiton (Sort) - Interchange refers to the principle of "every thing there is a place and every place there are the goods". FLAT emphasis focused on the preparation methods that are organized, updated, efficient and secure.
  • Seiso (Sweep) - Sweep is tindakanbagi ensure a workplace or equipment clean from dust / dust that can affect the function of equipment, product quality and health. Broom also emphasize sanitation to ensure a workplace that is comfortable and safe for the improvement of the quality of work and service.
  • Seiketsu (Uniform) - Uniform means sekeadaan, shape and color of either the characteristics, layout or regulations. Diiperingkat 5S activities can be implemented by establishing uniformity of procedures, and standard layouts.
  • Shitsuke - Sustain is sustaining 5S 4 a (Sustain) first Seiri, Seiton, Seiso and Seiketsu while implementing continuous improvements in the premises of the department. Charity always requires ongoing commitment and participation of all employees and self-discipline to ensure that the 5S will be implemented effectively and efficiently.
  •   Click here for more details.


    EKSA
    6
    What is EKSA & the different with 5S practice?

    EKSA is a re-branding of 5S practice which has been adopted in the public sector since 2010. The main component in the implementation of EKSA is still based on the 5S Practice that has been improved as well as the addition of several new elements. EKSA is not intended to replace the previous practiced on the 5S concept, but to improve the 5S elements by supporting the creation of a more conducive working environment. 5S practice is improved by adding five new elements, namely:

  • Corporate Image;
  • Creativity and Innovation;
  • Green Practice;
  • Conducive environment; and
  • Agency Diversity.
  • Click here for more details.


    SELF ACRREDITATION
    7
    What is self-accreditation? When is the self-accreditation status being awarded to UPM? What is Self-Accreditation Retention Audit? Why this Self-Accreditation Retention Audit is important to UPM?

  • A status that qualifies a University accredits their own program of study (without the need to obtain the Malaysian Qualification Agency "MQA") and the Ministry of Education. However, this status is subject to ongoing monitoring and auditing by MQA (excluding professional programs that still need accreditation and recognition of relevant professional bodies) in accordance with the predetermined standards
  • UPM has been awarded a self-accredited status on 29 April 2010. With this recognition, UPM is entrusted with the management of its own academic program quality to meet international standards of practice and thereby enhancing academic quality of UPM.
  • The award of self-accreditation status is subject to MQA's reassessment of institutions at least once every five years for the purpose of self-accreditation. For that purpose, UPM has maintained this self-accreditation status based on an audit undertaken in 2015. For further retention audits will be undertaken by MQA by 2020. For the purposes of this Self-accreditation Retention Audit, UPM should prepare and submit a Self-Review Portfolio (SRP) as prepared during a retention audit in 2015 based on the Code of Practice for Institutional Audit (COPIA).
  • -To maintain self-accreditation status.
  • -Self-accreditation status reflects that UPM has high academic quality assurance and in accordance with the established standards (MQF, COPPA and COPIA). -Self-accreditation status affects UPM's autonomous power and thereby strengthens UPM's academic quality assurance management.    
  • Click here for more details.
  • 8
      I would like to get an Equivalence Certificate for my Master's degree from the Ministry of Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates. One of their requirements is (Programme Accreditation Certificate from MQA). I searched in MQA website, and I found the Master of Applied Statistics Program is accredited since 12/12/2013.However, I graduated on 19/03/2012. Therefore, how can I obtain the (Program Accreditation Certificate from MQA) which includes my graduation date?

      Regarding your inquiries on the accreditation status of Master of Applied Science granted to you in 2012, please refer to the MQA statement on its MQR website https://www2.mqa.gov.my/mqr/english/eakrbyipta.cfm pertaining to the postgraduate programme offered by all public university in Malaysia including UPM :    ACCREDITATION STATUS OF MALAYSIA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES' POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES PRIOR TO 2013.
    We wish to inform that Malaysian Qualifications Register (MQR) gradually registering the accreditation status of Malaysian Public Universities postgraduate programmes (Master’s Degree, Level 7 and Doctorate Degree, Level 8 of the Malaysian Qualifications Framework, MQF) starting from 2013. This is largely due to the audit exercise on those postgraduate programmes undertaken by MQA in 2013. Prior to the registration, the programmes were conducted based on the existing rules and regulations applicable at that time as stipulated by the Ministry of Higher Education. As such, they are deemed to have satisfied all the requirements pertaining to the quality and standards recognized by the government. Therefore, we would certify and confirm that Master of Applied Science has been recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and has complied the necessary quality requirement set by the MOHE.    

    9
    I am in contact with MQA and was informed that the UPM is in the process to register for the PhD Economic subject (please refer to the attached photo). However, I am also curious about other important matters. First, why only (Bachelor of Economics with honours MQA/SWA0374) and (Master of Economics MQA/SWA0441) are categorized separately and clearly listed and not PhD Economics?. Second, why MQA does list the NEC 301 broad category but not report the detailed fields of study under 301 just like the table you provided?. Third, (Bachelor of Economics with Honours MQA/SWA0374) has the NEC of 314 (Economics) the same as that of PhD in your table, so I wonder why both have the same NEC, but Master of Economic has different NEC?

    As required by MQA, for the purpose of registering in MQR, name of the programme must be  similar with the name of programme appears on the scroll. As for UPM PhD program, it has been registered  as Doctor of Philosophy as stated on the scroll. Considering diversity of fields of study in UPM which currently comprises of 301 fields of study, UPM has categorized them under 23 detailed NEC including Economics. Same applies to Bachelor of Economics with Honours and Master of Economics. As indicated by name of the programme, both programmes are specified under Economics. Furthermore, UPM is also in the process of revising and updating the NEC registered in MQR.

    10
    I would like to ask you the status for our batch MQA status batch 2011/2012. The date for the Senate approval is 12 February 2015, while the MQA status for our course is 9 April 2015. The question is, does that include our batch?

    Informed since 2010, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has been awarded self-accreditation status (Self-Accreditation) by the Ministry of Education Malaysia (KPM). With that status, UPM has been given the autonomy to accredit UPM's academic programs. The implementation of the accreditation process and approval under this self-accreditation status began to be implemented in stages beginning in 2011 for all study programs offered at UPM. The Bachelor of Arts (English Literature) program was certified Full Accreditation under UPM self-accreditation on 9 April 2015 and was registered in MQR under code MQA/SWA0597. For your information, program registration in MQR for universities with self-editing status is based on the following method (refer to the MQA website https://www.mqa.gov.my/pv4/faq_mqr.cfm ):

  • Old Programs (programs that have had the first cohort of students graduate before the Accreditation assessment was conducted. Therefore, the granting of the Accreditation date will be given according to the date of the completed Accreditation document)
  •  
  • New Programs (programs that have not yet had their first cohort of students graduate after the date of the program senate meeting to get full Accreditation). The Accreditation date will be given according to the date the first cohort of students graduated.
  • Therefore, the Bachelor of Arts (English Literature) program that was offered at UPM from the 2011/2012 academic session is an existing program at UPM and therefore the setting of the Full Accreditation date for this program is under the method in point 3 (a) of the Old Program above. To that end, UPM confirms that this Bachelor of Arts (English Literature) program has been fully accredited under UPM's Self-Accreditation and is a program that has been recognized by the Ministry of Education since it was first offered.    

    11
    I received the email from our graduates (cohort 2008-2011) asking about the status of the program in the Public Service Qualification Recognition System (eSisraf). I have cross-referenced the matter and it is true as stated by Sdri Farah, the name Bachelor of Science (honours) major in Biology is recognized for graduates after 2015 (while the program with this name has been offered since the 1970s). I have also checked the new program name of the program that has been used since 2018 (Bachelor of Biological Sciences with Honours) but it is not listed in eSisraf.  

      For information, MQA through its Circular No. 4/2019 has informed that from January 2017 (i.e. the transfer of responsibility as a qualification recognition body from JPA to MQA), review of programs that have been given recognition can be reviewed through MQR, while review of programs prior to 2017 can be reviewed through eSisraf. The excerpt of this circular is also stated in the eSisraf website (introduction to eSisraf i.e. qualifications listed in eSisraf is up to December 2016)   https://www2.mqa.gov.my/esisraf/pengenalan.html . It was also stated that the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) agreed that all programs accredited by MQA mean that they are recognized by the Malaysian Government and will be recommended for Public Service standards based on the requirements set out in the Public Service Schemes. For UPM's Bachelor of Science (honours) Major in Biology program, two (2) displays which are bills. 1 refers to the recognition of program qualifications until December 2016 (as stated on the eSisraf web Introduction) while the display of the bill program. 2 refers to the same program which has also been given Full Accreditation of the program under UPM self-accreditation (MQA/SWA060) starting on 9 April 2015 which can also be referred to in the MQR register. Due to the justification of the display in eSisraf is until December 2016, the display of programs with the UPM self-accreditation code is also maintained in this eSisraf. Therefore, for program graduates before 2015 can refer to and print the bill display. 1 as proof of individual eligibility for the purpose of appointment in the public service. The CQA has also applied to change the name of this program in the MQR register to Bachelor of Biological Sciences with Honors and it is expected that the new name of this program will be displayed in the MQR register in August 2021 at the latest. 

    Updated:: 25/01/2024 [aidawati]

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