Higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said his ministry does not restrict academic freedom among lecturers but wants statements to be made based on their respective expertise.

“Issues arise when those with the title of professor, doctor, associate professor and so on speak outside their fields of expertise. This has often caused some confusion within the community.

“This is why I hope our lecturers will focus on their areas of expertise,” he told reporters at the Pagoh Higher Education Hub Convention Centre here today.

Meanwhile, Zambry said he had discussed improvements to the higher education framework with the vice-chancellors of public and private universities.

He said these improvements align with global developments, particularly in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, as well as workforce needs.

“These developments require new approaches in the country’s higher education system,” he said.

In March, Zambry was reported to have said the nation’s higher education framework needed to be adjusted to meet current demands, in line with changes in the global education landscape.