800 foreign students left in the lurch over unrecognised courses

Muhammed says his MBA qualification is now nothing more than a piece of paper.

KUALA LUMPUR:

Muhammed, a foreign student, came to Malaysia in 2019 to do his masters in business administration at a premier private university here, with plans to make a success of himself when he goes home. Just a year later, the accreditation for the course was taken away.

Now, even if Muhammed finishes the course, he will be left with a degree that’s worthless. But he is not alone.

Some 800 foreign and local students at the university have been left in the lurch after the university could not get accreditation for many of its courses.

The students said the accreditation was revoked by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) for failing to maintain certain quality and standards required by the authorities.

During a press conference at the DAP headquarters here today, Muhammed said the course he took was initially recognised but the accreditation was revoked a year later in 2020.

From left: Local student Muhammad Ameer Fakhri, Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming, Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching and Muhammed discussing how students are being shortchanged.

“It was only during my last semester that I found out the university failed to get accreditation. They told me that I can finish the course, but without accreditation.

“The university management told me to get another certificate but they do not know what programme we should take.”

He said the university attracts hundreds of foreign students every year, who later find out that some of their courses are not recognised.

Without accreditation, their degrees are not recognised locally or internationally.

“This means our tuition fees and time spent studying, from three to five years, have all been wasted,” he added.

He said foreign students were also facing problems extending their visas after the accreditations were revoked.

“We are not sure if we can come back, due to Covid-19 restrictions. We do not know if the university will be able to give us accredited certificates for our courses,” he added.

A local student, Muhammad Ameer Fakhri registered to study computer science at the same university but was told to change his course to mobile computing.

“They told me it would provide better job prospects. I changed my course upon their advice, only to learn that the course was not accredited,” he said.

Ex-deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching says the university has to improve its standards.

“All the students kept pushing for the accreditation but failed. They told us not to worry. But they kept giving us false hope,” he added.

Former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching said generally MQA would refuse or revoke accreditation of a course if it is not run according to the syllabus or if the academic staff are not qualified.

She asked the university to take corrective action and improve its standards.

“The ministry of higher education can instruct the affected students to take another course or to study at a different institution. The cost must be borne by the university and not the affected students,” she said during the press conference.

At the moment, she said, the certificates given by the university are worth nothing. “The students may not even get a job,” she added.

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan says students can take a class action suit against the university.

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan said the students are hoping for a resolution and could take a class action suit if the matter is left unresolved.

“Some 800 international students are affected and they may take a class action suit.

“More students may come forward to address the issue too,” he said during the press conference.

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800 foreign students left in the lurch over unrecognised courses

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