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Munusamy and Hashim, 2021

LLL Hub) has provided information with regards to scholarships and opportunities in LLL
research at higher education institutions in ASEM partner countries. Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM), since 2009, has been the coordinator of the “Core Competence Network”
that undertook research related to human capital competence (ASEM LLL Hub, 2019). Thus,
effective coordination between MOHE and UKM and close collaboration with ASEM partners
are imperative to develop policies on LLL in Malaysia. The AEP has placed a strong emphasis
on TVET and continuing education to enhance its profile in Asia and Europe (Angress &
Wuttig, 2018a). This is vital to meet the skills and knowledge required by employers to meet
the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and it is in line with the aim of Malaysia to
make LLL as the third pillar of human capital development in Malaysia (MOHE, 2011a).

Conclusion

The study explored the impact of the AEP on Malaysian higher education internationalisation
by delineating the outcomes resulting from it. The findings underlined the significance of
international and interregional cooperation, networks and networking, exchange programmes,
industry-academia collaboration, academic qualifications recognition and continuing and
professional education that influenced the internationalisation process in Malaysian higher
education through the AEP. The findings support the imperative of networking and strategic
alliances, close collaboration with ASEM partners to enrich staff and student mobility,
recognition of academic qualifications, universities ties with industry and enhancement of
TVET and LLL to enhance Malaysian higher education internationalisation. The implications
of the study can be applied only to the ministry responsible for higher education and research
universities in Malaysia. Thus, for future studies, other public universities in Malaysia can be
included and the implications of IOs to Malaysian higher education can be conducted. The
results of the study highlight Malaysia’s gains through its involvement in the AEP to increase
collaboration and enhance the competitiveness of Malaysian higher education. It is hoped that
this study has thrown some light on how inter-regional organisations are relevant in assisting
the Malaysian national government and higher education stakeholders to learn and share best
practices in order to formulate and revise policies on higher education internationalisation
effectively.

References
Abdul Rahman, A., Farley, A., & Moonsamy, N. (2012). An Examination of the
implementation federal government strategic plans in Malaysian Public Universities.
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AES. (2013). Stocktaking Report of the ASEM Education Process: From Copenhagen to
Kuala Lumpur. ASEM Education Secretariat, Bonn. Retrieved from https://www.asem-
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copenhagen-to-kuala-lumpur/file
AES. (2015). Stocktaking Report of the ASEM Education Process: From Kuala Lumpur to
Riga. Jakarta, Indonesia: ASEM Education Secretariat Jakarta. Retrieved from
https://www.asem-education.org/documents/stocktaking-reports/22-stocktaking-report-
asemme5-from-kuala-lumpur-to-riga/file

AES. (2019). ASEM Education Stocktaking Report: From Seoul to Bucharest. Brussels,
Belgium: ASEM Education Secretariat, Belgium. Retrieved from https://www.asem-

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