By Murray Hunter
QUALIFICATIONS fraud is quite easy to understand, it is passing off certificates as being genuine, accredited and regulated when they are not.
For a country like Malaysia, having a reputation for fake certificates or slack regulation of qualifications is a direct threat to the aims of the Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint (MHEB) 2026-2035.
It also leaves students who have borrowed money to attend universities and colleges victims receiving certificates and diplomas that have no accreditation status in Malaysia.
Simply put, qualification fraud means misrepresenting non-regulated certificates and diplomas as being regulated by a national accreditation authority such as the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).
Historically, Malaysia has been very susceptible to qualifications fraud due to the proliferation of British and other overseas degrees touted by private education institutes around the country. This went unregulated until the MQA was formed back in 2007.
However, even with the assistance of the MQA there are several unaccredited foreign qualifications still on offer from both public and private higher education institutions in Malaysia.
Some institutions offer UK degrees and qualifications promoting them as being “British Accredited.”
However, investigations with the UK authorities found a different story. The UK accreditation agencies made it clear that any UK qualification offered outside of the UK by an overseas higher education institution is not regulated by the UK authorities.
In November 2024, the MQA CEO Datuk Professor Dr. Mohammad Shatar Sabran issued a stern warning.
No qualifications should be issued by local higher education institutions unless they are accredited in Malaysia by the MQA.
The latest case to gain attention are the Level 4 and 5 certificates issued by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) from the UK.
Unaccredited CMI certificates are offered through as many as 21 local higher education institutions.
It is apparent that in most cases the universities involved were not aware of the accreditation issues when they offered CMI certificates as ‘Dual Accredited’ degrees, packaging them with their own valid certificates.
Fortunately, as a direct response to the controversy, several universities have already taken decisive action.
Asia Pacific University (APU) has stopped advertising CMI certificates, the Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST) has reportedly ended its contact with CMI.
It is also understood that UiTM is also reviewing their position in offering CMI certificates through their campuses.
A number of other universities are also in the process of reviewing CMI certificates following the lead of APU and MUST.
Even though the MQA has stressed that higher education institutions issuing unaccredited qualifications erodes public trust in the higher education system and may cause students to invest time and resources in credentials that lack legal and professional standing, the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has been lax in enforcing the issue of accreditation.
The ministry has been contacted several times by the writer but has so far not provided any reply or public clarification.
The ministry’s current silence is raising concerns among stakeholders who are calling for more robust regulatory enforcement to protect students and the reputation and integrity of Malaysian higher education.
Questions are also being raised about Malaysian higher education institutions relying on additional endorsement of local degrees by foreign organizations rather than emphasizing the quality of MQA regulation alone.
The dangers of qualification fraud extend beyond individual cases, posing systemic risks.
The circulation of unregulated certificates undermines confidence in Malaysian graduates and diminishes the national reputation for academic excellence.
Employers struggle to distinguish genuine qualifications from fraudulent ones, leading to unfair hiring practices and lost opportunities for deserving candidates.
Moreover, students who unknowingly pursue such credentials may face setbacks in their career progression, unable to secure jobs or further study due to invalid certification.
Some Malaysian universities are now taking the matter into their own hands by adopting blockchain-powered “Zero Fake Certificates” credentialing through a system called BlockchainCert by a local organisation called MasChain.
Such tamperproof and instantly accessible and verifiable digital certificate systems are adding integrity to Malaysian higher education.
To safeguard the future of higher education in Malaysia, stakeholders must prioritise transparency and regulation.
The MQA’s guidance highlights the importance of verifying programme accreditation and ensuring that qualifications are recognised both locally and internationally.
By addressing qualification fraud proactively, Malaysia can protect its students, uphold the integrity of its educational institutions, and maintain its standing as a centre of academic excellence in the region. – April 22, 2026
The observations reflect the writer's personal insights and do not necessarily represent the official stance of The Vibes.com
