The Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) strengthened its commitment to global quality assurance standards through its participation in a high-level benchmarking visit to Malaysia from June 15 to 20, 2025.
The initiative, organized in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Commission on Continuing Accreditation (CCA), featured engagements with the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and aimed to explore innovative accreditation systems adaptable to the Philippine context.
Representing PAASCU were Dr. Janette R. Rodriguez, Commission Member for Tertiary Education, and Engr. Nestley I. Sore, Commission Member for Engineering and Architecture Education. Activities included strategic dialogues at the MQA headquarters, a courtesy visit to the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and an institutional tour of Multimedia University (MMU).
Key topics discussed were:
- Quality assurance and accreditation processes
- Recognition of prior experiential learning (APEL)
- Stakeholder engagement in report validation
- Government–QA agency collaboration
- Transparency and digital transformation in accreditation
Insights from the visit are expected to inform several enhancements in PAASCU’s processes, including a formal review and stakeholder feedback mechanism, a proposed national accreditation registry in partnership with CHED and CCA, and an updated evaluation criterion for flexible, tech-enabled learning.
The engagement reflects PAASCU’s commitment to innovation and alignment with international best practices. It is part of its broader vision to ensure that Philippine higher education remains globally competitive, quality-driven, and responsive to change.
