In Malaysia, issues on graduate employability and unemployment have become increasingly evident in recent years. Skills mismatch, or a mismatch between what courses universities offer and what employers need, is one of the leading causes of graduate unemployment. Many universities now are flexible and open to providing students with options in determining their professional career path. To prepare our students for the rapidly changing world, academic programmes need to be transformed to become more fluid and organic to ensure that the knowledge, skills, and values taught stay current and relevant. In the continuous pursuit for excellence in higher education, a blueprint for the Experiential Learning and Competency-Based Education Landscape (EXCEL) was developed and launched by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) Malaysia in October 2021. This framework was conceived with the intention of enhancing Malaysia's tertiary academic programmes to a higher level in both quality and efficiency. It aims to strengthen the implementation of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025 (Higher Education) by producing holistic and graduates who are highly- skilled and adaptable to change, creative, open to innovation and possessing attributes of a lifelong learner.

The EXCEL framework combines elements of industry, community, research and flexibility (personalized) in producing graduates who have the attributes and skills gained from the experience-based learning environment and competency-based education. This authentic, inquiry-based, evidence-based and challenge-based learning is able to produce graduates who are competent and ready to act proactively in line with the globalisation. The four cores of this framework are Industrial Experienced Learning (IDEAL); Community Resilience Experiential Learning (CARE); Research Infused Experiential Learning (REAL); and Personalised Experiential Learning (POISE). Each of this core strives towards a different objective. The first core, IDEAL, strives to generate skilled graduates who can meet the industry needs. In addition, through community-based learning, CARE focuses experiential learning on the needs of the community and on creating positive social change. Meanwhile, REAL exposes students to the world of research and gives them the chance needed to identify problems, follow their interests, explore new things, improve their skills, and challenge themselves in innovative ways. The last core which is POISE broadens students' access to diverse course selections based on their interests and preferences. This core offers students optional learning or a guided and planned buffet based on their individual needs. UPM welcomes this Experiential Learning and Competency-Based Education Landscape framework initiative. Through the implementation of EXCEL framework, we are equipping our students with real-life experience and essential skills beyond academics and theory, allowing them to spark their curiosity, foster their creativity, and pursue their aspirations and become skilled transformational thinkers. This EXCEL initiative is in line with the implementation of UPM Academic Transformation which aimed to produce future-proof graduates.

Further details about EXCEL framework can be found in the EXCEL playbook (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QY9wOtwIZRqyWG4jbXK0l8O7FBfcNeBJ/view) and in the EXCEL roadshow session video by the Academic Excellence Division (BKA), MoHE (https://m.facebook.com/bkajptkpt/videos/sesi-jerayawara-excel-siri-1-tahun-2022/1077660502777582/).

Prepared by:

		Suriana Sabri is a Deputy Director of the Centre for Academic Development (CADe) UPM, and an associate professor at the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UPM. Email: suriana@upm.edu.my

Tarikh Input: 26/07/2022 | Kemaskini: 12/08/2022 | azryadeny