Challenges faced by Malaysian private HLIs in providing quality education: a thematic analysis

• Main Authors: Anis, Azilah, Islam, Rafikul, Abdullah, Nur Anisah
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: Emerald Publishing Limited 2018
• Subjects: L Education (General)
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/66826/7/66826%20Challenges%20faced%20by%20Malaysian.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/66826/8/66826%20Challenges%20faced%20by%20Malaysian%20SCOPUS.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/66826/19/66826_Challenges%20faced%20by%20Malaysian%20private%20HLIs%20in%20providing%20quality%20education%20a%20thematic%20analysis_WOS.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/66826/; https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/QAE-10-2015-0039
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Purpose: The paper aims to identify the emerging themes on the challenges faced by the Malaysian private higher learning institutions in the provision of providing quality education. Design/ methodology/ approach: Semi structured interviews were purposively conducted with 29 of the Malaysian private higher learning institution internal and external stakeholders ranging from the relevant personnel of the institutions (the quality director, administrators and senior academics), regulatory agencies, prospective employer, students and parents. Thematic analysis was then applied to analyse the participants’ responses in determining and clarifying the challenges faced by the Malaysian private higher learning institutions in the issue of providing quality education. Findings: Eight overarching themes were identified namely Academics, Facilities, Students, Programmes and curriculum, Competition, Accreditation, Finance and Research. Academics represent the most frequent challenge raised by the participants, whereas Research emerged as the least mentioned challenge during the interview sessions. Research limitation/ implications: The present study focused solely on Malaysian private higher learning institutions and thus the findings may not be applicable to the foreign private higher learning institutions that are operating in Malaysia as well as to the public higher learning institutions. Originality/value The findings are expected to provide valuable guidelines to the Malaysian Private HLIs in areas where resources need to be critically disbursed. To the regulatory agencies and policy makers, the findings could enlighten them on the difficulties faced by these privately funded institutions so that further policies can be designed and implemented to assist these institutions in their operations and long term survival.