USM---> Apex University???

WHEN the idea of an Apex University was mooted, almost every public university in the country wanted to be the “chosen one”.

However, after much speculation and anxiety, it was announced that Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has been named the first Apex university in Malaysia. Congratulations to USM!

“The selection committee evaluated each university’s state of readiness, transformation plan and preparedness for change,” said the selection committee chairman, Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Mohamad Zawawi Ismail.

Was such a decision made purely on the proposal of a transformation plan?

It appears that the university’s state of readiness and preparedness for change were largely assessed and based on just a plan. To me this seemed to be the message that the selection committee had put across.

Why wasn’t the past and present performance of a university taken into consideration?
Why was it mostly based on a plan, which has not as yet, been carried out?

If so much emphasis was given on just the transformation plan, then why weren’t other newly-formed public universities included in the selection?

Perhaps these institutions might have had a better plan. As a student I would like to be enlightened, too.

Transparency is of utmost importance.

This is the time when intellectuals and academics should question and ask for more transparency in the report.

They should be told of the criteria used during the selection process.

They would then have an idea of how the evaluation and selection procedures were carried out.
It would also give public universities a better understanding of what they were lacking in since, in this case, there was obviously only one university that seemed to fulfil all the requirements of the selection committee.

When asked why Universiti Malaya (UM) wasn’t selected, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin said: “I hope the apex status will spur other universities to strive for excellence, too. It’s not about selecting the oldest university but choosing one with a doable plan that can help us transform our higher education.”

True enough that Apex is not about selecting the oldest university. But why not the best university?

UM has been the only public higher education institution to obtain a five-star rating in the Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education Institutions (Setara) 2007.

Does this not show that UM still stands higher compared to other universities?

Under the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings, UM was the highest-ranked Malaysian university.

SHUM KHAI YEAP