Page 30 - AEI Insights Vol. 7 2021

AEI Insights, Vol 7, Issue 1, 2021

the establishment of foreign branch campuses. Recently, in ASEMME7 held in Bucharest,
Romania in 2019, the Ministers stressed the pivotal role of networking to enrich the higher
education system of ASEM partners through effective cooperation and coordination
(ASEMME7, 2019). Networking mostly occurs during the political and stakeholders level
meetings. Therefore, the AEP political and the stakeholders’ level meetings offer the best
opportunities for Malaysian higher education sector to develop networking and gain the
internationalisation benefits. The exchange programmes such as staff and student mobility and
joint research programmes can enhance Malaysian higher education internationalisation
through the support of the AEP. The findings are in line with the MEB (HE) 2015-2025 that
states that the importance of expert consultations and professional attachment around the world
in enhancing TVET and LLL exchanges through various mobility programmes (MOE, 2015).
The Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education that was introduced in 2011 has
emphasised staff and students’ mobility, academic exchanges and research cooperation to
enhance the internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia (MOHE, 2011b). In terms of
research collaboration and mobility programmes, a study conducted by Mourato (2019)
revealed that collaboration in research, exchange of researchers, staff and students and
knowledge transfer has benefited Portuguese social development and economic growth. Thus,
a strong collaboration between Malaysia and ASEM partners through the existing AEP
initiatives such as the AEI-ASEM Summer School and the ASEF Summer University
programmes will most likely benefit Malaysia.
The production of skilled graduates, university curriculum enhancement and internship
programme were stressed by interviewees. In the AEP, the ASEM University-Business Forum
has been organised since 2010 to develop policies and recommendations to enhance the
industry-academia collaboration of ASEM partners (AES, 2019). However, after the fourth
forum, it stopped. Malaysia, therefore, has the opportunity to organise the fifth forum to learn
best practices from Europe and other Asian partners to produce skilled graduates and to identify
strategies for internship programmes. The ASEM Work Placement Programme (AWPP) that
was established in 2011 has enhanced graduates skills, capabilities and inter-cultural
understanding through an international placement experience. Several higher education
institutions in ASEM partner countries have benefited in terms of curriculum development
(Angress, 2018). Furthermore, ASEM partners have learned strategies for human capital
development and economic growth. Therefore, membership and active participation in the
AWPP will assist Malaysia to enhance its industry-academia collaboration.
Mutual recognition on academic qualifications and harmonisation of higher education systems
are the major elements of qualifications recognition. The ASEM Education Ministers has made
quality assurance and recognition one of the priority themes in 2011. This theme was intended
to develop and improve mutual recognition of qualifications and explore the viability of
organising the ASEM convention on mutual recognition (ASEMME3, 2011). A study
conducted by Shuai & Lang (2017) proved that many international students chose to study in
Malaysia due to the recognition of academic qualifications. Meanwhile, Dang (2018b) revealed
that the Asian stakeholders and Ministers were eager to learn and implement the Bologna
Process for Asian and ASEAN level cooperation and the concept of Erasmus+ to enhance the
cross-border mobility of students. Both elements have been stressed in the AEP since 2008,
thus, Malaysia has good prospects to learn the best practices of the Bologna Process to
harmonise the higher education system within the Asian and ASEAN region.

TVET and LLL policy enhancement and opportunities to learn from Europe are the key
elements emphasised under continuing and professional education. Osborne and Borkowska
(2017) specified that the ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning (ASEM
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