The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) was formed on 27 March 2004, merged back into the Ministry of Education (MOE) on 14 May 2013, but then reformed on 28 July 2015. After the 2018 general election, the ministry became a higher education division under the MOE. In the Muhyiddin cabinet, the higher education division was separated again from Ministry of Education to form as ministry since 10 March 2020.
The MOHE’s integral role is creating a higher education ecosystem with the finest Public Universities (UA), Private Higher Educational Institutions (PHEIS), Polytechnics and Community College. These institutions are the main components in the national education ecosystem and training to generate first-rate thinkers, scholars, masters, skilled and semi-skilled manpower in accordance with their respective roles.
To ensure the success at this role, MOHE has two departments that manage the institutions of higher learning, namely:
- The Department of Higher Education (JPT) – UA and IPTS;
- Department of Polytechnic Education and Community College Education (JPPKK) – Community Colleges
Efforts to achieve this role are also supported by agencies with roles that are vital in higher education, namely:
- Akademi Kepimpinan Pengajian Tinggi (AKEPT) - Human capital development transformation center.
- Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN)- Coordinating the financing of higher education.
- The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)- Supervising and coordinating quality assurance as well as accreditation of national higher education.
- Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) - Promotes educational diplomacy and internationalization of the Malaysian education sector.
