KOTA KINABALU: Flexible education and learning are set to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of higher education as institutions respond to changing learner needs, technological development and evolving demands of industry.
Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shatarbin Sabran, said the higher education landscape was moving away from conventional, one-size-fits-all approaches towards more flexible, industry-relevant and future-focused pathways.
“The younger generation was increasingly seeking alternatives to traditional higher education pathways, particularly routes that could connect learning more directly with skills development, employability and career progression,” he said.
Shatarbin said this during a session with the MQA Chief Executive Officer at the Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language Learning (PPIB), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), here, on Tuesday morning.
Also present were Dean of PPIB UMS, Prof. Datuk Dr. Ismail Ali, together with academics and staff of the centre, and Centre for Quality Assurance Director, Associate Professor Agnis Sambuling.
Among the initiatives highlighted were Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), Work-Based Learning (WBL), micro-credentials, programmes on demand and Academic Bank of Credit (ABC), which provide learners with greater flexibility in accessing and accumulating learning opportunities.
Shatar said APEL had continued to expand as an important mechanism for recognising prior learning and experience, with the presentation recording 38 APEL.A assessment centres, 68 APEL.C centres and 15 APEL.Q centres as of Dec 1, 2025.
He said the development of micro-credentials was another significant component of flexible education, allowing learners to acquire certified knowledge, skills and competencies in specific areas without necessarily following a conventional full programme pathway.
The presentation also highlighted the growing scale of micro-credential offerings, with 27,888 courses and 1,810 programmes recorded, reflecting increasing institutional interest in more flexible forms of higher education provision.
Shatar further highlighted the potential for stackability of credits, whereby recognised learning can contribute towards formal qualifications, with the presentation noting that up to 30 per cent of credits may be conferred by awarding higher education providers under the highlighted framework.
The presentation ultimately underscored the need to reimagine the culture of higher education, moving beyond traditional structures towards pathways that are more accessible, flexible, responsive and capable of supporting lifelong learning in a rapidly changing world.
