The Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) delegation and the CPSC team as they pose for a group photo during the former’s institutional visit
The Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) hosted the delegates from the Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) on 5 May 2026 at the CPSC Conference Room for a high-level discussion aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), advancing quality assurance initiatives, and exploring future collaborative programs in the Asia-Pacific region.
The visiting delegation was led by Associate Prof. Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Shahrir Mohd Sani Dean, Academy for Advanced TVET (ATVET), along with Mejar Ts. Hazami Che Hussin, Head, Department of Industrial Teaching Factory, and Ts. Joharizal Johari, Head, Department of Facilities Development and Technology. They were cordially received by the CPSC Director General, Prof. Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhameja, together with the Staff College’s Faculty Specialist and Division Officers.
During this event, the Director General, Prof. Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhameja, provided an overview of CPSC’s role as an international intergovernmental organization, emphasizing its mandate to advance TVET excellence through capacity-building, research, accreditation, and institutional partnerships in the region. Highlighting the organization’s sustained engagement with Malaysia, Prof. (Dr.) Dhameja also shared the Staff College’s efforts to conduct at least two in-country programs annually in each member country. Previous initiatives implemented in Malaysia included programs on Training Methodology in TVET, Innovative TVET Teaching Methods, and Training of Trainers on Automotive Technology Using Virtual TVET.
Prof. Naeem Yaqoob, CPSC Faculty Specialist, introduces the new APACC Framework 2025 to the Malaysian delegation as part of the organization’s initiative in expanding TVET quality assurance efforts in the region
A key feature of the discussion centered on the future direction of quality assurance in TVET through the forthcoming APACC Framework 2025, which is expected to take effect on 1 July 2026. CPSC Faculty Specialist, Prof. Naeem Yaqoob, showcased the framework’s vision for achieving TVET excellence in response to evolving global workforce and education demands. Moreover, he highlighted the importance of certification and competency-based outcomes which will require vocational institutions to move beyond traditional models that are focused solely on manual skills training. He further emphasized that future-ready TVET systems must equally prioritize sustainability, innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and learner well-being.
Associate Professor Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Shahrir Mohd, Dean, Academy for Advanced TVET (ATVET) provides a comprehensive institutional presentation of UMPSA’s innovative and state of the art capabilities
Associate Professor Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Shahrir Mohd Sani then delivered an institutional presentation illustrating the university’s strategic direction, accomplishments, and academic strengths. With 1,941 academic staff and 14,588 active students, UMPSA reported a graduate employability rate of 99 percent and identified Advanced Process Engineering and Automotive Technology as among its key niche areas.
The meeting concluded with both institutions identifying several potential areas for future collaboration, including the possible hosting of a CPSC-UMPSA Collaborative Regional Program in Malaysia in 2027, promotion of APACC initiatives within Malaysia, participation of UMPSA faculty as CPSC International Webinar resource persons, study visits for sharing best practices, and joint scholarly publication opportunities through the International Journal of Asia Pacific TVET (IJAPT).
The University representatives also expressed their keen interest in elevating its current APACC Gold Award status to Platinum level. CPSC in return encouraged them to pursue reaccreditation at any time, even before the expiration of its current accreditation status, in line with the new quality standards under the APACC Framework 2025.
Further strengthening ties, UMPSA extended an invitation to the CPSC Director General to attend its planned Asia-Pacific Advanced TVET gathering in September as an observer, signaling continued collaboration between the two institutions in shaping future-ready TVET systems across the region. The meeting reaffirmed CPSC’s commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships with leading institutions across the region, supporting innovation-driven, sustainable, and globally competitive TVET systems for the future.
