VCs happy with more authority

The Star

PUTRAJAYA: The decision to give local universities more autonomy has received the thumbs-up from vice-chancellors.

Vice-Chancellors Council chairman Prof Datuk Dzulkifli Abdul Razak said the National Higher Education Strategic Plan and National Higher Education Action Plan 2007-2010 would give universities a lot of flexibility.

“This is a good decision because it will allow the board of directors more authority and this is something we are looking forward to implementing,” said Prof Dzulkifli, who is also Universiti Sains Malaysia vice-chancellor.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin noted that three A’s – autonomy, audit and apex universities – under the plans were good concepts as they laid the foundation for the future.

Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities deputy president Dr Parmjit Singh felt that the plans had provided very clear directions as they were developmental in nature and less regulatory.

“It is not only a plan that focuses on one segment; it is a plan that covers the whole nation,” he said.