Dilemmas of Public University Reform in Malaysia (Monash Papers on Southeast Asia)

Since the mid-1990s, tertiary education in Malaysia has experienced great transformation. Legislation was introduced to make the system more democratic and international. Focusing on public universities, this book analyzes recent reforms in the sector, and seeks to initiate an urgently-needed debate on how the reforms should be implemented. This study is based on extensive interviews with academics from public universities at Malaysian institutions, because individual academics play a crucial role in developing and maintaining the credibility and reputation of universities. Their stories give a clear picture of public universities that are juggling different expectations and pressures from the social, political, and economic environments. The question is how this elusive balance can be achieved.