USM Autonomy
This is pretty significant news for Higher Education in Malaysia. USM will soon introduce its own entrance exams. I'll post the full article below (for posterity) and then comment on the other side. PENANG: USM will begin direct open intake beginning May this year instead of going through the UPU (Unit Pusat Universiti). USM vice chancellor Tan Sri Professor Dato' Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak said the measure would be implemented beginning the new intake for this year and next year. Students can apply through the university's website at www.usm.my. He said so far 13,000 applications had been received while the university would take in only about 3,500 students. Dzulkifli pointed out that USM would select only students that meet the requirements, one of which would be the "admission tests." The direct intake policy will be a departure from the conventional UPU allocation system, and this should bring about far-fetching effects on tertiary institutions in this country....