KUALA LUMPUR – Ten former international students at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) are seeking RM5 million in damages after the institution’s Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) in Cloud Computing Technology (BCCT) saw its Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) accreditation revoked.
According to a lawyer representing the students, the RM5 million in damages are for misrepresentation, negligence, and breach of contract by LUCT.
A letter has also been sent in tandem to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad seeking a meeting.
The students alleged that the BCCT programme lacked global recognition due to the revocation of accreditation by MQA in May.
MQA is the body governing recognition of qualifications for public and private universities, and is under the purview of the Higher Education Ministry.
The former students in the legal action are from Bangladesh, Iraq, Senegal, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Syria, all having graduated in 2018 and 2019.
Their representative, Chowdhury Atiqur Habibur, who pursued the BCCT programme, said the RM5 million in damages are based on fees paid, living expenses in Malaysia, as well as ancillary payments.
They claimed they suffered emotional and mental stress due to the issues of accreditation as well as difficulties in getting employment in their home countries and elsewhere.
Chowdhury alleged MQA had granted provisional accreditation to the BCCT programme between March 25, 2014 and May 2021.
It is learnt that LUCT applied for full accreditation in November 2017 but was denied accreditation by MQA’s accreditation committee in 2019 for failure to meet the minimum requirement of standards necessary for recognition of the BCCT programme.
The ministry had rejected the appeal submitted by LUCT, and the revocation of accreditation was maintained.
LUCT said in early May that it amended and resubmitted eight of its programmes within 30 days of being flagged in a recent accreditation audit.
The institution said accreditation of all its courses is an ongoing process as they reach maturity and require scrutiny by MQA. The university added that it has 98 academic programmes registered with the Higher Education Ministry, and has full MQA accreditation.
The Vibes had reported that more than 800 students had been left in limbo due to the revocation of eight programmes, including seven masters programmes and one doctorate.
Chowdhury said MQA revealed in an August online meeting with the affected students that there was no provision in Malaysian law that could compel LUCT to submit for accreditation.
Also present during the meeting, he said, were MQA deputy chief executive Prof Khairul Salleh Mohamed Sahari and MQA senior accreditation director Lilian Kek Siew Yick.
After the meeting, 10 of the former BCCT students decided to appoint a lawyer to seek legal redress. – The Vibes, September 10, 2021
