Funding for public universities to depend on performance: Anwar

Formula should be based on graduate employability, salaries, among others, says PM

The government has not announced an implementation date for the move to tie funding for public universities to performance. – Pixabay pic, October 23, 2023

PUTRAJAYA – Government funding for public universities will be tied to performance under a new proposed financing mechanism, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

This would replace the “block grant model” and public universities will instead have a service-level agreement with the government.

Under the agreement, universities will receive funds for providing educational services according to their performance level.

“This formula should be based on graduate employability, graduate salaries and quality of education. Institutions that can demonstrate strong performance will receive higher costs per student,” Bernama reported Anwar, who is also finance minister, as saying.

The proposal was made by the National Review Committee on the National Higher Education Policy, but no implementation date was mentioned.

Anwar announced the proposal in his speech text that was read by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof at the closing ceremony of the National Higher Education Open Day organised by the Higher Education Ministry here today. – October 23, 2023