I. Accreditation Comprehensive Review Result
1. Accreditation Review Result
ABEST21 International Accreditation Result of Bachelor of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) with Honours Program Faculty of Management and Economics Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia is as follows:
“ABEST21 International certifies that the School’s educational and research activities satisfy all or most accreditation standards. The School’s Kaizen plans are excellent, and quality maintenance and improvement of education and research are very promising and excellent. Accreditation commences April 1, 2024 for a five-year period.”
2. Comprehensive Review
The scope of accreditation is Bachelor of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) Program. The School is committed in improving its curriculum, research and industry collaboration activities towards improving the education quality. The School’s self-check report met the ABEST21 criteria. The scope of accreditation focuses on the Bachelor of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) Program in overall, the School shows strong motivation to improve the education quality and try to improve all aspects that will support its education and research activities. Therefore, the self-check/self-evaluation of the School complies with the ABEST21 criteria.
The School’s Feedback:
Thank you for your comments.
PRT Responses:
3. Compatibility with the ABEST21 Standards
Chapter One: Internal Quality Assurance and Management
- Standard 1: Academic Unit Management
- Standard 2: Governance System
- Standard 3: Self-Check/Self-Evaluation
- Standard 4: Staff-Development
The School has a management system and governance appropriate for its type and decision-making process. The issue to be improved is ensuring disclosure of the analysis of self-check or self-evaluation to its stakeholders. The School has an internal quality assurance and management system in place, which is appropriate. An evaluation is conducted regularly to review the administrative matters.
The School’s Feedback:
Outcomes from the self-check or self-evaluation analysis are discussed at the faculty level and will be reported to the university level meetings. Any arising matter will also be discussed further at this university level meeting. Example of self-evaluation:
Week 8 monitoring to monitor attendance, softs skills, and academic performance of students) – HoD will evaluate and give feedback to the lecturers. Student Learning Evaluation – learning evaluation provided by the students for lecturer’s and course’s improvement. Course Learning Outcome Monitoring (CLOM) report – HoD provides feedback and CLOM reports are presented in the University Academic Planning Meeting and Senate Meeting.
PRT Responses:
No further questions.
Chapter Two: Mission Statement
- Standard 5: Mission Statement
- Standard 6: Financial Strategies
The School’s mission is in line with the university’s mission. The BBA (HRM) curriculum design supports the School’s mission and motto of ‘Leading Future Minds’. Based on the response received during the PRT interview, alumni and students clearly understand the program and the targeted learning goals. For financial support, it is crucial for the School to plan for impactful program and activities, to obtain funds from the University.
The School’s mission is in line with the university’s mission. Following the interview with the management for the Financial Strategies, it was noted that it is funded by the government. However, the School should be encouraged to generate its own income through various activities/programs.
The School’s Feedback:
UPSI is a public university therefore it is funded by the Government. Nevertheless, the faculty also generates our own income through various offshore programs, endowments, commercialisation and others for the faculty sustainability. University allocates funds according to each faculty’s KPI, needs and requirement. Each faculty will propose and justify their impactful activities in order to receive the allocated funds. For example, application for international accreditation is considered as an impactful activity for the faculty. Needs analysis is conducted before any proposal is drafted. Strong justification related to the program must be provided and presented by the Dean in relevant meetings.
Challenges: No significant challenges in securing an adequate budget.
PRT Responses:
Point noted. No further questions.
Chapter Three: Curriculum
- Standard 7: Learning Goals
- Standard 8: Curriculum Policy and Management of Curriculum
- Standard 9: Quality Improvement of Curriculum
- Standard 10: Online Education
- Standard 11: Diploma Policy and Learning Outcomes
- Standard 12: Globalization of Curriculum
The program learning goals are well communicated to the students through the Student Academic Handbook and course proforma. The alumni who were interviewed stated that the skills and competencies they acquired during the studies are significant and useful in their workplace. These include negotiation, communication, managerial, leadership and project management skills. It is suggested to the School to continue emphasizing the skills in the curriculum design. For the internship duration, the suggestions from alumni include to expand it from 3 months to 6 months (or 1 semester), or to be done in two stages (stage 1 in 2nd year of study – short period internship, & stage 2 in final year of study – longer internship, e.g. 6 months). It is to help students be more prepared to join the workforce.
The School has clearly defined the curriculum policy and management of curriculum. From the peer review interview visit, it is noted that the stakeholders’ meeting is conducted during the curriculum review. However, the curriculum review is organized every 5 years, so there should be some system to ensure that the learning goals are regularly reviewed by collecting opinions from the stakeholders.
The School’s Feedback:
The current internship structure for BBA HRM has been extended to 6-months after curriculum review was conducted, effective from semester 1 session 2021/2022. Discussion with the Faculty Advisory Board will be planned regularly in the future as part of our continuous improvement strategy.
PRT Responses:
No further questions.
Chapter Four: Students
- Standard 13: Admission Policy and Student Selection
- Standard 14: Student Encouragement and Support
- Standard 15: Student Body Diversity
Student mobility program requires more promotion to create the students’ awareness and interest to join it. The School should promote the student mobility, so the students should be aware of the opportunity to join. Students also communicate with different cultures.
The School’s Feedback:
The school will put more efforts to promote its mobility program in the future.
PRT Responses:
Getting feedback from the current students could help the School in assessing the effectiveness of the existing promotion initiatives.
Chapter Five: Faculty
- Standard 16: Faculty Structure
- Standard 17: Faculty Qualifications
- Standard 18: Maintenance of Education and Research Environment
- Standard 19: Faculty Development
- Standard 20: Faculty Diversity
As noted, 37 of the 81 faculty members are involved in the teaching and learning activities of the BBA (HRM) program. Can the School please provide the list of names and backgrounds of the 37 faculty members, which includes their job titles, qualifications, age, gender, and work experiences? The School is also recommended to engage the practitioners as part-time faculty members to further expose students to current and actual applications and challenges in human resource management. The School should encourage lecturers of the HRM program to obtain HR professional certificates, so that they can enhance their cutting-edge expertise and specialized knowledge. For foreign faculty members, the School can leverage collaboration with partner universities to get visiting professors.
The School’s Feedback:
A detailed list of the 37 faculty members is attached in Appendix 1 at the end of this document. It is in our future plan to send our staff for HR professional certification – Certified Human Resource Officer (CHRO), MIHRM. The School currently invites practitioners/experts to give talks to the students/staff regularly as part of the strategy to broaden the view and knowledge. This effort will be intensified in the following semester.
PRT Responses:
No further questions.
Chapter Six : Educational Infrastructure
- Standard 21: Maintenance of Educational Infrastructure
- Standard 22: Globalization of Educational Infrastructure
The School’s educational infrastructure is good. One of the suggestions given by the alumni is for the School to consider AI software for education purposes. On the other hand, during the interview, the students voiced their problems with the course registration system. The system tends to be congested. The School has good educational infrastructure. The School should incorporate AI software and HRM Information System in its curriculum as well as other software to develop computer skills, e.g. Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Project for students to use on the regular basis. Thus the students will be familiar with these programs and have solid computer skills for employment.
The School’s Feedback:
The course registration system is a centralized system and the matter will be further discussed with the University Academic Unit. The suggestion for future improvement is duly noted.
PRT Responses:
Points noted.
4. Good Practice in the School’s/Faculty’s Programs
Title: “Promoting Inclusivity in Human Resource Management Education”
Reason: The School has documented various efforts in globalizing and humanizing human resource management education involving the key stakeholders. The curriculum’s design and learning outcome are focused on the skills essential for students’ development. The international mobility programs are available to students, staff, and faculty members.
5. Matters to be improved
UPSI is well known as educational university. The School may strengthen its brand visibility through this source of uniqueness. The program learning outcome focuses on key skills such as negotiation, project management, leadership, and managerial communication. The School has great strengths which include good infrastructure, dedicated academic staff and supporting staff. Nevertheless, the School should encourage lecturers of the HRM program to obtain HR professional certificates. The School should strengthen brand visibility to attract potential candidates. The School should target UPSI diploma students as feeders to the BBA (HRM) program. The learning outcome focuses on key skills such as negotiation, project management, leadership, and managerial communication. Alumni database and portal should also be focused.
The School’s Feedback:
Suggestions for future improvement is duly noted.
PRT Responses:
Thank you.
6. Peer Review Schedule
ABEST21 assessed the School’s ABEST21 Management Accreditation by conducting substantial assessment on “Self-Check/Self-Evaluation Report (SCR)” by the Desk Review and the online Peer Review Visit according to the Review Schedule below.
- Jul.5, 2022 : Acceptance of the “QIS”
- Sep.12, 2022 : Online Interview
- Nov.24, 2022 : Ratification of the “QIS” by the Peer Review Committee
- Jun.30, 2023 : Acceptance of the “SCR”
- Oct.11 and 12, 2023 : Online Peer Review Visit
- Oct.27, 2023 : Informal Announcement of the Draft of the PRT Review Report
- Oct.27-Nov.15, 2023 : Coordination of opinions between the PRT and the School
- Nov.28-29, 2023 : Ratification of the “PRT Review Report”
- Jan.16, 2024 : Recommendation of the Accreditation Committee
- Feb.21, 2024 : Ratification of the ABEST21 Accreditation by the Board of Trustees