In The
National Higher Education Strategic Planning (PSPTN) by Ministry of Higher Education
of Malaysia, one of the critical agenda project that have been outlined is to strengthen
the academic staff, as well as the academic institution. This can be done if the
internalisation of academia’s core values by each academic staff member placed
at the first priority in any effort.
There are also numbers
of research findings that indicate the importance of professional development
in academic teaching and learning. Therefore, Ministry of Higher Education
of Malaysia
urged all universities to conduct the Basic Teaching Methodology Course (BTMC)
for new academic staff. Othman (2011) in his research found that participants of
the BTMC had positive perceptions about the course. They were happy for the
opportunities offered by their respective universities to improve their
knowledge and skills. They believed that the BTMC is useful in developing their
academic potential.
Guskey (2000)
in Othman (2011) define Professional development refers to “those processes and
activities designed to enhance the professional knowledge, skills, and
attitudes of educators so that they might, in turn, improve the learning of
students”. Welsh and Woodward (1989), describe Continuous Professional
Development (CPD) as the “activity which helps to maintain and improve
professional competence.”
Aware of the
importance of professional development and to support the agenda in
PSPTN, the
Centre for Teaching and Learning or Centre for Professional Development have
been set up in all universities to creating and developing learning
opportunities for all academic staff. Besides running the BTMC, these
centres also provide course, seminars and forums to other academic staff
besides new comers. There are some
institution requires new staff to have at least a certificate of education
before their confirmation. So, if they did not have it yet, they have to attend
a course during their semester break.
For examples at
University of Malaya (UM), The Academic Development Centre (ADeC) is a one-stop centre for
improving and developing learning and teaching among the staff during their
academic career. Since establishment in 2007,
they have been busy with courses, seminars and forums. It also involved in
developing skills related to research, supervision, e-learning and mentoring.
ADeC is also involved in the classroom research helping lecturers to research
on their teaching to inform their practice and researching on learning new
technologies to engage and empower learners.
Universiti Sains Malaysia
(USM) had established The Centre for Development of Academic Excellence (CDAE),
on the 1st of January
2012 before being merged with the Student Advisory & Development Unit on
the 1st of January
2013, and known as The Centre for Academic Excellence and Student Advisory
& Development. This centre aims to improve the teaching and learning
(T&L) quality among educators and students while planning and executing
activities in accordance to the National Higher Education Strategic Plan and
National e-Learning Policy initiated by the Ministry of Higher Education
(MOHE). CDAE become an important component in the advancement of T&L
activities at USM.
Another one example is CADe (Centre for
Academic Development) at University Putra Malaysia which was formed on 1
November 2003, from the restructuring of Knowledge Management (PPI) that had
been established in 2002. CADe formed to uphold academic quality and excellence
of their academic staff. Training had been conducted every month and academic
staff are given the opportunity to select their own required training from
teaching and learning to other skills such as communication, research and
leadership.
Here are some of The National Higher Education Action
Plan 2011-2015 (Phase 2) related to academic development and building academic careers:
Another
one Critical agenda project (CPA) in The National Higher Education
Strategic Planning (PSPTN) is the implementation of MyBrain15 programme. This
programme have been set up to increasing the number of academics with PhDs in
public universities, with a target of 75 per cent in
research universities and 60 per cent in other public universities. This target
is in line with MOHE aims, where by 2020 there will be 20 Research Excellent
Centres in Malaysia. Malaysia also target to have 100 researchers, scientist
and engineers (RSE) per 100,000 workforce by the year 2020.
However, there are some issue regarding the performance assessment and career building among the academic staff in HEI. One of the issue is there are different scheme been practiced between the institution itself. Especially between university and polytechnics where the are different condition and requirement needed to be promoted or achieve the higher level of payment scheme. This situation make some of the staff leaving the organisation to get a better offer.
Reference:
- Ahli Akademik UKM, Dasar Perkembangan Profesional (Professional Development)
- Othman, Azam (2011), Professional Development among
Academic Staff at Selected Malaysian Public Universities: Preliminary Findings
of the Impact of the Basic Teaching Methodology Course (BTMC)- International Journal of Business and Social
Science. Vol. 2 No. 11 [Special Issue - June 2011]
- Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia, The National Higher Education Strategic Plan Beyond 2020; The National
Higher Education Action Plan Phase 2 (2011-2015) http://www.mohe.gov.my/transformasi/fasa2/psptn2-eng.pdf
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