Four higher education institutions (IPTs) have received provisional approval letters as Quality Verification Centres (QVCs) for Stand-Alone Micro-Credentials (SAMC) courses, in an effort to expand access and flexibility in the country's higher education.

Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), Prof Datuk Dr Mohammad Shatar Sabran, said the recognition is an important strategy to strengthen the implementation of micro-credentials courses that are in line with the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) standards.

He said that QVC is responsible for evaluating SAMC courses offered by certain institutions and providers by coordinating the quality of implementation elements and learning assessment as organised by the MQF.

"QVC also facilitates the registration of validated courses into the MQA Micro-credential Register, thus paving the way for wider recognition and flexible learning mobility.

"Nowadays, micro-credentials are seen as a new alternative to conventional education pathways," he said at the QVC Approval Letter Presentation Ceremony at Mercu MQA, here.

Also present was MQA Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Quality Assurance), Prof Ts Dr M Iqbal Saripan.

Among the four IPTs recognized as QVC are Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), MAHSA University, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) represented by UMPSA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Yatimah Alias, MAHSA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Ikram Shah Ismail, UiTM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof Ts Dr Norazah Abd Rahman, and Director of the USM Self-Accreditation Centre, Prof Azira A Rashid.

Shatar Sabran said that the implementation of QVC is very relevant to current needs when many school leavers choose to work first before continuing their formal studies.

He said micro-credentials will be a gateway back to university in the future, especially for those who are unable to pursue conventional education.

"QVC will act as a strategic collaboration partner to MQA in assessing and recognising courses offered by institutions, agencies or industries, including restructuring credits through the existing credit bank system," he said.

"QVC's responsibility cannot be symbolic, but rather to be a progressive, efficient and trusted quality assurance agent for the community and industry," he said.

At the same time, he also reminded Malaysians not to feel hindered from continuing their studies, even if they start at any level.

"If not conventionally, micro-credentials are a new space and opportunity for you to continue your studies to the university level.

"This move is expected to strengthen the lifelong learning ecosystem and support the transformation of the country's higher education towards being more inclusive, open and in line with global developments," he said.

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