Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan

Datuk Dr. Zulkefli A. Hassan“Our continued investment inhigher education is founded onthe core belief that everyone hasa right to education. It is everynation’s moral duty to ensureeducation reaches the remotestof places”By 2020, we aim to have at least six research universities, along with 20 internationalresearch centres of excellence, and a high proportion of our R&D productscommercialised. The Government is moving towards making our HEIs autonomous,which will provide greater freedom for HEIs to grow. However, it also meansthat greater accountability is expected of them. While it may be premature toprovide total autonomy to all, gradual movement towards this has neverthelesstaken place.For instance, University Sains Malaysia (USM) has full autonomy in its studentselection due to its apex status. With such autonomy, the University is madeaccountable for its input, output and outcome. The Government wants to see moreuniversities accorded such autonomy. However, this must be done cautiously asautonomy needs to deliver the quality and standards required in making our HEIsinternationally competitive. To ensure this transformation of our higher educationsucceeds, the ministry itself must see drastic transformation. We need to strengthenour own delivery system to ensure excellence is delivered through our HEIs.If we as the main driver do not change, we cannot expect the HEIs to embracedrastic transformation. Efforts are under way to transform the ministry from aregulator to a facilitator and driver of change. The Government has raised thedevelopment allocation under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to RM18.4bil, an increaseof 35.3% from the Eighth Malaysian Plan.Our continued investment in higher education is founded on the core beliefthat everyone has a right to education. It is every nation’s moral duty to ensureeducation reaches the remotest of places. Education defines a person, sets thepath of a society, and directs the success of a nation and a civilisation. AbrahamLincoln once said, “Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate anyplan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most importantsubject which we as a people may be engaged in.”107