Malaysian Public Universities Required to Establish Industry Advisory Councils to Boost Graduate Employability
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s public universities will be required to establish Industry Advisory Councils (IAPs) as part of a broader effort by the Higher Education Ministry (KPT) to ensure academic programmes remain aligned with industry needs and improve graduate employability in an increasingly competitive job market.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim said the mandatory councils will strengthen collaboration between universities and industry players, enabling institutions to continuously update their curricula in line with evolving workforce demands while producing graduates equipped with relevant skills.
He said universities are also expected to deepen partnerships with professional bodies and major organisations, including SIRIM, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Malaysia Rail Link (MRL).
According to Adam Adli, these collaborations are intended to provide students with greater exposure to industry practices while ensuring graduates possess competencies sought by employers.
Speaking during the Dewan Negara question-and-answer session on Tuesday, he said the ministry is simultaneously working with the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) and the MYFutureJobs platform to improve job matching so graduates are employed in positions that correspond with their academic qualifications.
Beyond employment placement, KPT is also collaborating with TalentCorp, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) to monitor graduate employability trends and labour market developments on a continuous basis.
Adam Adli said the ministry is reshaping higher education policies to encourage graduates to become job creators rather than solely job seekers.
This objective is reflected in the Higher Education Institution Entrepreneurship Action Plan (PTK-IPT) 2026–2030, which places greater emphasis on digital entrepreneurship, the data economy and social entrepreneurship.
“The plan is designed to equip students with the knowledge and capabilities to create employment opportunities for themselves and others instead of relying exclusively on traditional employment pathways,” he said.
The ministry is also expanding work-based learning initiatives through the 2u2i programme, which combines two years of university study with two years of structured industrial training.
In addition, apprenticeship degree programmes adopting an “earn and learn” model now require between 70 and 80 per cent of learning to take place in actual workplace environments, allowing students to gain practical industry experience before graduation.
Adam Adli also highlighted the establishment of the Innovation and Automation Laboratory (CiA Lab) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in collaboration with Sandisk.
The facility provides students with hands-on exposure to industrial technologies and experiential learning aligned with current manufacturing and automation practices.
As part of a wider curriculum reform, KPT has also directed that every academic programme offered by public universities integrate at least one artificial intelligence-related subject beginning this year.
The measures form part of Malaysia’s broader strategy to ensure graduates remain competitive in a labour market increasingly shaped by digital transformation, automation and emerging technologies while improving the likelihood of securing employment that matches their qualifications within six months of graduation.
