Malaysian universities have again fallen out of the top 200 universities in the latest QS World University Rankings 2010, with University of Malaya falling from last year’s ranking of 180 to 207.
This is the latest proof that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s New Economic Model are just empty words lacking the political will and leadership necessary to effect Malaysia’s economic transformation to escape the decades-long “middle-income trap” to become a inclusive and sustainable high-income developed country by 2020.
The Najib premiership is fast developing a split personality – plugging the NEM for international consumption with its recognition of human talents as the most valuable national assets in the era of globalization while ignoring NEM locally for fear of evoking extremist opposition to its proposals on new affirmative policies based on meritocracy and needs.
During the Sibu by-election in May this year, I had referred to the latest QS Asian University Rankings 2010 where the country’s premier institution of higher education, University of Malaya had dropped two places to 41st this year from 39 last year while Universiti Sains Malaysia, which was granted Apex status in 2008 only managed to maintain its ranking at 69, and lamented Malaysia becoming the “sick man of South-East Asia”- with a decade of economic stagnation and national decline in all aspects of national life, whether educational excellence, good governance, institutional professionalism, human rights or environmental protection.
The warning by NEM, crafted by a panel of local and foreign experts that “We must act now before our position deteriorates any further” had failed to make any impact or impression whatsoever as far as the government leadership is concerned.
I have today received an email from a post-graduate student in University of Malaya expressing his concern at my lamentation.
The email reads:
I’m a postgrad student in University of Malaya.
Prof Ghauth Jasmon was appointed as a Vice Chancellor of UM two years ago with a great vision to make this university a world class university. Being the vice chancellor of the oldest university in this country which is also well known of producing many great and famous leaders, is a heavy burden.
I completed my bachelor degree in this university and registered my PhD right after that which was in the same year Prof Ghauth Jasmon was appointed as the VC of the university.
In that time, I had witnessed a great change and improvement he had implemented in this university in a goal to improve quality and the world ranking of the university.
Prof Jasmon is a meritocracy oriented academician and he has opened up a vast opportunity to many lecturers and famous researcher to join this university regardless of their ethnicity, complexion or religion.
A series of good but strict rules and policies had been made to achieve the goal. In the eyes of some profs, academic and admin staffs who used to live an easy life, appointment of Prof Jasmon as VC has become a nightmare to them. Thus, some resistance force has arisen and stood against his way but yet he is still standing firmly and continue doing his job to make this university a better university.
I notice there is a drop of ranking of UM this year but the ranking is disputed and it cannot be fully used as a reference in judging the quality of the university.
I support Prof Ghauth Jasmon and I think he deserves more support from the government and all the political parties in this country to achieve the goal.
I hope DAP can go easy on the drop of the ranking of local universities this year.
In fact, compliment and credits should be given to him for all his hardwork in improving the university in terms of increment in number of publications and number of academic staff.
If this post-graduate student is right, and I know many who have the interests of University of Malaya and the nation at heart share this view, it only means that University of Malaya would not have just plunged 27 rankings but probably double the drop if not for Professor Ghauth Jasmon at the helm of University of Malaya.
This is indeed serious food for thought.
#1 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 8:45 am
What Mohd Khaled Nordin said must be viewed in context what our leaders said since the time of Tun Dr Mahathir – that we’re an Islamic state.
So back to the central point of our current debate, isn’t it correct that what he said – that our ‘conditions’ and ‘environments’ are different from those ranked by QS World University Rankings 2010 likening it to “comparing apples with oranges” – correct????
Here I am not even factoring in the other fact that we prioritize the most extensive race based affirmative program as compared to other countries in world!
So from that perspectives whats the reason as he said the government should be obsessive about world rankings when our We do not want to be obsessive about world rankings by benchmarks that don’t take into account our priorities???
One has to look at it from that point of view.
Of course whether we should so prioritize these as against the QS World’s standards is a more basic but nevertheless separate question that we’re not debating here.
#2 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 8:51 am
Correction: “So from that perspectives whats the reason, as he said, the government should be obsessive about world rankings when that don’t take into account our priorities???”
#3 by Loh on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 9:25 am
#4 by Loh on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 9:27 am
Mohd Khalid Nordin uttered the words “our ‘conditions’ and ‘environments’ are different” to justify or explain why the ranking of MU was not ‘accurately assessed’. Like Boh-Liao said, he should asked for a 30% handicap and move the position 30% upwards to be included among the 200s. Khalid Nordin is till concerned about the ranking and he only wanted crutch-support in the ranking exercise.
Khalid could have made the point that the value system adopted by the QS world university ranking differs from what the BN or UMNO government adopts. For example corruption is the easiest means to richness and so corruption is accepted as a quality, and institutionalized corruption such as the negotiated tender initiated by Mamakthir would one day be the core subjects in business administration. Besides the world over accepts meritocracy as a way of life but meritocracy is viewed in Malaysia as racism which should be avoided; but UMNO practices racism in the manifesto of the party. So double-standards is a way of life in Malaysia, and this is certainly different from the value system adopted outside Bolehland.
As Malaysia adopts a different value system from the rest of the world, it certainly is not fair for Malaysia to be rank against others. The minister should just declare that we have the unique value system in the world, and our universities rank top based on our system.
#5 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 10:36 am
///Khaled Nordin could have made the point that the value system adopted by the QS world university ranking differs from what the BN or UMNO government adopts/// -Loh in #2.
The trouble is that he cannot use this as defence because if MU has improved by leaps and bounds per QS World University Rankings he would be boasting about how well he has done!
UMNOputras forfeit the right to plead different values system when selectively they fall back on Anglo American & Western definition of ‘Global standards’ of best practices because one basic reason: achievement as measured by monetary and material values. That’s why the PM talked about NEM measured by Anglo American Global standards of transparency, accountability and fair competition….Khaled has to follow the PM’s standards…
If it is the graduates of top universities (by the QS world university ranking) who can afford a mansion, a Royce Royce, Lambrogini or Louis Vuitton hand bag and all things conducive to hedonistic lifestyle, then theirs (Anglo/American standard) is (covertly if not overtly) the relevant standard of achievement! Even Arabs do that when they fly out of their Middle Eastern countries!
One can’t have this – and have an opposite that – and selectively and situationally justify renunciation of Anglo American ‘Global standards’ when one is not measured well and embrace them when one is measured well and benefits!
When in past they appointed Datuk Rafiah Salim as VC for MU to improve its standards, why what standards if not Anglo American Global standards of Times or QS World???
PAS’s politicians will frankly have better credentials and less inconsistency than him to reject Anglo American Global standards of Times or QS World because some devout in PAS actually reject material achievement for spiritual and religious advancement as benchmark.
The difference in life style of Kelantan MB and MBs of ruling party is case in point.
Therefore I see the rejection of Anglo American Global standards of Times or QS World for world ranking more likely if after regime change PAS runs the dominant show and the more radical and fundamentalist of its officials are appointed to and have their way with the administration.
#6 by boh-liao on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 11:03 am
MKN shld b bold n demand respects 4 M’sia fr d world bcos M’sia has provided many new real-life stirling benchmark examples 4 academic discourse
M’sia has offered, for example, d following 4 d academic world 2 study n analyze:
Affirmative action policies 2 help d majority, based solely on race without any means test
MMKnomics – d art of beautified corruption & how 2 use NEP 2 enrich selected individuals
MMKnomics – How an oil-producing n resource rich nation on d path 2 bankruptcy
MMK politics – d art of unification of executive, judicial & legislative powers
Our AG’s Chambers n courts hv set many new stirling benchmark trial procedures
Like, charged but no access 2 evidence n documents 2 prove 1′s innocence
Of cos, not 2 forget d recent self-strangulation demonstration of loyar Razak
Plus many more
M’sia is truly a world leader n pathsetter in providing models 4 academic discourse
#7 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 11:04 am
The acid test is when the children of our ministers are offered a place in Anglo American Cambridge/Harvard and Al Azhar university, and its an either or scenario, what would be the choice? The choice will be an indication of which side of values stream why should lean and be benchmarked against.
It is true many students from China, Indonesia and Middle East come here to study – because we’re nearer and cheaper – but to what end?
They basically hope to obtain a British, American, Australian, French, New Zealand or Canadian degree either entirely in Malaysia or by opting for the 2+1 split degree Credit Transfer Programmes without going as far as these places and incur the expenses there.. reign partner university.
Hence a high number of international students choose Malaysia for pre-university programmes such as GCE A Levels, South Australian Matriculation (SAM). Western Australian Matriculation (AUSMAT) and Canadian International Matriculation Programme ((IMP) – or otherwise MICPA, MIA if not ACCAUK, ICSA-UK, CIMA-UK, CPA-Australia EM and EC-UK.
They still look West – not East or Middle Eastern.
So how to reject Anglo American Global standards of Times or QS World as they relate to tertiary standards – when achievement and progress as principally measured by money, material benefits ala Capitalistic style are benchmarks ???
As far as corruption to meet these material ends is concerned, then the whole country is a tertiary institution to learn its art, in the highest form, from.
#8 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 11:23 am
///M’sia is truly a world leader n pathsetter in providing models 4 academic discourse/// – #4 by boh-liao
Agreed. We should be bround of our own evolved benchmarks. Westerners’ anti racism and anti corruption is hypocritical: they have the laws against, but humans being what they are, they do on the side nonetheless in another form – and we have devised our own original form that we should be justly proud!
But students from where? Fiji, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Iraq, Lebanon??
#9 by digard on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 11:44 am
Jeffrey, you are spot on!
My earlier comment was on what actually transpired.
Yes, how much would I wish, Khalid Nordin was only serious! I for one have never subscribed to a world dominated by anglo-american standards, values, culture, Coke, McD.
How I only wished, Khalid Nordin was serious. But he is not. Not at all. I bet whatever I have, had UM be given a double-digit ranking instead of a triple digit one, oh, what would he have boasted! On NEM, Satu-Satu Something, and whatnot.
That’s actually what brings us, Malaysia, down. The universities have all been hammered by MoHE for the last years on Ranking-Ranking-Ranking. And now we flip-flop because of a failure. But since the word doesn’t exist, all strategic planning from the last years is thrown overboard, overnight, and after Raya all academic staff will instead focus on local and localised values, and all strategic planning be re-written.
Just pause for a moment and let’s review how the whole mess came about: Stemming from a pure coincidence. When in 2004 (if memory serves right) THES, for the first time, tried to attract readers (and bump up circulation) by offering yet another world university ranking, they had done the mistake of tasking QS with the matter. A mistake, because the methodology was seriously flawed, even contained factual – and worse – calculation errors. Suddenly, out of the blue, UM was ranked 89 globally. Suddenly, everyone awoke from their slumbers, some fruit had fallen into their laps. And, suddenly, we all had to endure the ranking business. Mo(H)E was abuzz with the topic, and searching to prove their mettle (their universities’ mettle) with the public, or better: the electorate. Unfortunately, unbeknown to those in power, the ‘success’ was based on some error. Those in power did not know (and some did not want to hear about the erroneous circumstances), and thought that some extra effort would bring forth a towering institution. It didn’t, because it couldn’t. The more time passed, the more errors were taken out of the equation, and the ranks converged towards reality. Only, the political masters of the universities’ VCs didn’t (want to) listen, and neither (want to) understand. Still hoping for success. It didn’t come. Not even with the appointment of one of the two who are actually carved from VC-material to UM. The rot is too deep, the number of staff to oppose Gauth too high, to actually reform the whole place; at least within a few years.
Some days ago – so it seems – Khalid Nordin has seen the light (of these facts), and reversed the gear on ranking. Until one day another unexpected fruit falls into our lap.
That’s what makes me so uneasy: there seems to be no strategic plan, at all. The country looks like waiting for success, waiting. And when it happens, like a win in 4D, oops, there we all go, ‘review’ our strategic plans (or flip-flop them), trying to grab the big win. Until we notice that we can’t; with our local constraints. And then … rinse and repeat; waiting.
#10 by Dr. W on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 2:07 pm
One flashy statement in the email to Kit catches my eyes: “…but the ranking is disputed…”.
I believe this is exactly the reason UM has been drawn into this humiliating situation, following decades of denial syndrome within the government, the university and now the students.
To the student: Peer review appears as the most critical examination in academia. From academic publication to university ranking, we have to live up to the international standard whether you like it or not. When the outcome does not favours us, we work harder and become better but we should never ever plead for mercy (e.g. asking DAP to go easy on the poor ranking) or simply yell foul (e.g. disputed ranking).
Although self-confidence is important but self-denial is only meant for destruction.
#11 by k1980 on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 2:29 pm
Over here, PPSMI, UPSR and PMR have all been abolished by Mr Moo. S0 World University Rankings will also be abolished….to be replaced by Moo University Rankings— No1 is UM, No2 is usm, and so on
#12 by boh-liao on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 3:52 pm
MOHE did try 2 move d local public univ ahead by hving different categories of univ
Research univ n Apex univ – but sayang lah, duit masuk, quality no got yet, still tinkering
#13 by boh-liao on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 4:09 pm
While we flip-flop here, NUS has appointed 2 prominent personalities as Rectors of its first two residential colleges at NUS University Town or UTown
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1080196/1/.html
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp100910_008.shtml
#14 by boh-liao on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 4:10 pm
While we flip-flop here, NUS has appointed 2 prominent personalities as Rectors of its first two residential colleges at NUS University Town or UTown
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1080196/1/.html
#15 by boh-liao on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 4:11 pm
And also here
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp100910_008.shtml
#16 by dagen on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 4:25 pm
In malaysia we have one problem. A mighty big one of course. And that problem is dr mamak. He is in fact the root of all problems really. With dr mamak, malaysia became boleh. With him, malays were taught to take short cuts. Incidentally, dr mamak senior (I meant his father) made him learn the hard and practical way. When he because pm dr mamak made malays (particularly umnoputras) believe in short cuts, not merit. And in order the cut the route to success even shorter he decided to weed out competition coming from fellow malaysians esp those who are non malays. He decided to limit their chances to progress with all sorts of rules and policies; and made entry into universities extra difficult. And the same policies were actually implemented in other fields as well, particularly commerce. Only malays (actually umnoputras) could get special permits and licenses to operate certain lucrative businesses. Better still. Umnoputras always negotiated directly with the gobermen without going through open tender. They need not show merit. No point recounting all these these really. We all know them well. The issue then became one of entitlement and special privilege which is completely detached from ability and merit. What umno did not expect was the opening up of the world. The suddenness of globalisation caught them off-footed. Their affirmative action could work as long as external factors are minimal. But in order to grow umno has no choice but to embrace globalisation; and with external factors in play the special privileges policies began to fail. Do they care? Of course they dont. Look. Education is a serious issue and look at cintanegara’s response here in this thread! Didnt one smart alec (reported in the star papers or somewhere) proudly commented that MU’s score actually went up by 0.01 point (i.e. from 4.87 to 4.88). Standing still and moving in minute paces in this fast moving world means regressing.
#17 by raven77 on Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 10:24 pm
UM…essentially is a problem of deadwood…you can bring in Rafiah, throw her out and bring Ghauth…heck you can even bring in Najib or Rosmah as VC….but nothing will change as the mafia in the UM especially in its Engineering and Medical Facultries will make certain the VC is kicked off first….
UM is a dead cow…bury it and build a new one…otherwise just burn it to the ground and get completely new staff….until then…the slide will continue…
Dont throw good money after bad….UM was a gone case long long time ago….the government should stop investing in this high school….
#18 by boh-liao on Sunday, 12 September 2010 - 7:36 pm
Ha, ha, folks, don’t despair
D Times Higher Education’s (THE’s) annual World University Rankings – d real one, partnered with Thomson Reuters rather than with QS – will be released on 16 Sep (funny, Hari Malaysia & Harry LeeKY’s birthday)
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/
Akan datang, sabar kawan – another round of apple, orange, banana, what hv U
#19 by hangtuahreturn on Monday, 13 September 2010 - 2:02 am
So, where is Wawasan Open University ranked?