On behalf of the University of Malaya, I have great pleasure in welcoming all delegates and guests to the 5th QS-APPLE Conference 2009.

Earlier QS-APPLE Conferences have generated increasing interest and participation from international educators in the Asia-Pacific region. The 5th QS-APPLE Conference being held here in the beautiful and vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur is expected to surpass all expectations. The University of Malaya, Malaysia’s premier research university, is proud and pleased to co-host this very significant gathering of higher education practitioners.

The University of Malaya, “The Leader in Research and Innovation,” is deeply committed, through our internationalization efforts, to developing global citizens. I have great expectations that this year’s conference will provide the platform to promoting global partnership among participating universities during QS-APPLE 2009. I am certain that participants will benefit from the high quality of the presentations, the opportunity to network, as well as enjoy the warmth of Malaysian hospitality.

I also hope that everyone will have the opportunity to visit the University of Malaya, situated on a lush 371 hectare campus in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Aside from visiting our Academies, Faculties and Centres, do visit Rimba Ilmu, the University’s Botanical Garden containing more than 1600 species of plants indigenous to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Pacific Islands, Australia, South America, Africa and Madagascar. You may also visit our Museum of Asian Art, which is a treasure trove of rare local and Asian art objects, in particular, from Thailand, Kampuchea, Vietnam, China, Japan, India and Iran. The Museum’s extensive water vessel collection is the largest in the world, with pieces dating from the 11th century A.D.

I trust that you will find participation at the QS-APPLE Conference 2009 in Kuala Lumpur both memorable and fruitful.

Professor Ghauth Jasmon
Vice-Chancellor / President
University of Malaya

The QS APPLE annual conference has steadily grown in scale ever since its first meeting in 2005. It offers an excellent opportunity for leaders of higher education to interact and to exchange best practices for improving the quality and standards of education in their institutions. As a consistent participant of all QS APPLE conferences, UKM has received valuable insights into global issues such as international rankings and ratings, which no matter which way one perceives them, have impacted in some way or other on the evolution of higher education in institutions and countries in the region. The THE-QS World University Ranking for instance is not only keenly followed by academics and administrators of higher education but has become hot topics for political debates in some countries. Whilst a healthy debate may contribute to introspection, reflection and interventions that lead to quality enhancement, excessive politicking of the ranking status is actually counter productive. We believe that everyone should be well informed about the purpose of instruments such as ranking in higher education. Thus I look forward to welcoming all of you to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2009.

Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin
Vice Chancellor
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
(National University of Malaysia)