MyQuest Rating for Malaysian Colleges
Malaysian Quality Evaluation System for Private Colleges or MyQuest is an instrument developed by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (now Ministry of Education) in 2009 to evaluate the performance of private higher education institutions of college status in Malaysia.
Designed to encourage quality improvements among the colleges, MyQuest looks into 5 core quality criteria, which student profile, programme recognition, graduate recognition, quality of resources and soundness of governance.
What are the Qualifying Criteria?
Please note that not all colleges are rated under MyQuest, as only established colleges are invited to participate in the rating. The following are criteria that must be fulfilled for a college to be rated:
- Must have completed the graduation at least one of intake
- Must satisfactorily fulfil all 5 quality criteria:
| Quality Criteria | Weightage |
| Students | 10% |
| Resources | 30% |
| Programmes’ recognition | 10% |
| Graduates’ recognition | 20% |
| Governance: Quality management system | 30% |
How is the Assessment Carried Out?
Firstly, colleges are required to complete a self-evaluation using a web-based pro-forma, which will be translated into scores. Upon completion of the first phase, a site visit will be performed by auditors appointed by the Ministry of Education to obtain supporting evidence to substantiate the previously made self-evaluation. The final scores, which will determine the final rating, will be re-evaluated based on the strength of evidence collected during the audit process.
How Will MyQuest Benefit Students?
MyQuest, being an in-depth assessment by independent auditors, give an objective tool for potential students and other stakeholders, including schools and parents, to choose the best college based on their preference and life aspirations. It is one of the many efforts by the Government of Malaysia to ensure equitable access to quality education for all. Potential international students can also refer to each college’s International Students Readiness rating to evaluate the level of facilities and services provided for them on campus.
What is the International Students Readiness Rating?
The International Student Readiness rating is a reflection of the readiness of the private college to receive or handle international students. Some indicators that are taken into consideration are student accommodation, management system for international students, as well as security and safety.
What is the Rating Given to the Colleges?
The rating given by MyQuest will be in a form of different achievement levels as follows:
| 6 | Outstanding |
| 5 | Excellent |
| 4 | Very Good |
| 3 | Good |
| 2 | Satisfactory |
| 1 | Poor |
How is the Data/Rating Verified?
Colleges are also provided all the necessary training for them to carry out the self-evaluation. The level of transparency is high and all indicators are fully disclosed, thus allowing colleges to benchmark themselves and plan for improvements in order to obtain better rating in the future. The appointed auditors are also independent of any higher education institution, and are only accountable to all higher education institutions collectively at the Ministry of Education level.