Identifying and Ranking the Critical Success Factors of the Challenges in Providing Quality Education by Malaysian Private Higher Learning Institutions

Abstract

The issue of quality education in higher learning institutions is timely and crucial due to the Malaysian government's aspiration to turn the country into a centre of educational excellence in the Asian region. Quality education acts as an indicator of the institution's ability to provide tertiary education to the society as well as an instrument for the nation's economic growth. To date, numerous studies have been conducted to measure the quality of education in higher learning institutions in Malaysia. However, the task of identifying the challenges faced by these institutions in providing quality education and the critical success factors to address the challenges has largely been ignored by previous researchers. It is within this overall context that this study employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process, with the aim of identifying and ranking the challenges and also their critical success factors. Data was collected from the stakeholders of Malaysian private HLIs via semistructured interviews and a questionnaire survey. Results indicate that 'Establishing financial capabilities for the institution's self-sustainability', 'Complying with the rules and regulations of regulatory agencies and relevant professional bodies' and 'Providing facilities to ensure the delivery of quality education' are the challenges that need to be carefully handled by the management of these Malaysian private HLIs. Critical success factors that act as practical solutions to address each challenge were also identified and ranked in this study.

Prioritisation of Internal and External Barriers for Supply-Chain Implementation in Manufacturing Companies: A Malaysian Perspective

“…For the secondary sector, the use of the AHP was reported in manufacturing [43,44], the automobile industry [45] as well as in energy gas or electricity supplies [46]. Additionally, the AHP has been applied in the service industry including information and technology, software development, telecommunications, health care, banking [47] and higher education [48,49].…”

Exploring Factors Influencing Academic Staff Attitude towards the Implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) in Higher Education

“…In recent times, numerous research has been done to evaluate the quality of education in Malaysian HEIs. Nonetheless, undertaking the identification of challenges encountered by these institutions that strive to achieve quality education and the factors to address them critically and successfully has fundamentally been neglected by former academicians (Islam, Anis & Abdullah, 2015;Symaco & Wan, 2017;Jamil et al, 2019;Munusamy & Hashim, 2019).…”

“…As a result, there is a growing interest in ensuring quality and developing the educational sector, particularly public and private HEIs. In light of that, the government has initiated the National Accreditation Board, the National Council on Higher Education Act, and the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act whichaimed to liberalise and internationalise the Malaysian higher education sector as part of the Malaysian aspiration to transform the country into one of Asia's centres of academic excellence (Islam et al, 2015). To this end, the MOHE has devised plans to put Malaysian HEIs on part with other international universities and higher education leaders in the region, to provide Malaysia with the best tertiary education, produce outstanding human capital, and create a flourishing nation (MOHE, 2021).…”

Leadership and Innovation on Performance of Private Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia

“…Anis, Islam, & Abdullah (2015) identified that one of the solutions to address the top three ranked issues and challenges faced by PHEIs is top management support and commitment Kok & McDonald (2017). found that high performance in the academic department is due to leaders who were reported as being participative and highlyinvolved in their work, showing the desired departmental and university objective, mission and vision, having high thrust on staff and democratic.…”