Dec 14, 2017
PUTRAJAYA: It is important to recognise the roles and responsibilities of technologists and technicians in the country, as the nation gears towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In saying this, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT), which was established to accredit universities and their Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses, play an integral role in recognising technologists and technicians as a career.
"MBOT was established last year to give recognition to technologist and technician, which are deemed as second class engineers by certain quarters.
"Through the recognition and accreditation given now, the profession will be recognised as a career path on its own. They are unique in their own way," he said at the MBOT Technology and Technical Accreditation Summit 2017 today.
The MBOT which was launched by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau on Nov 17 last year, has opened membership registration for technologists and technicians in two entry level categories namely Graduate Technologist for Bachelor degree holders in Technology and Qualified Technician for diploma and skill certificate holders.
Technologists and technicians who register with MBOT will have the opportunity to be recognised as a Professional Technologist or Certified Technician according to their expertise.
At the higher education level, Idris said some 30 applications for accreditation were received from both private and public universities.
MBOT and Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), he said are also working together to establish the Technology and Technical Accreditation Council (TTAC) and Technology and Technical Accreditation Secretariat (TTAS).
"The roles of the two bodies are to receive and approve application for accreditation for programmes offered by higher learning institutions," he added.
Idris said four TVET programmes offered by Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) have received accreditation from MBOT, MQA as well as the Higher Education Ministry.
The courses commenced last September.
Earlier, he also presented certificate of accreditation to 17 universities.
Among them are Universiti Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Multimedia University (MMU) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).