PENANG, 18 August 2026 – The Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF), under Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), convened its CTEF Strategic Plan 2027–2031: Stakeholder Engagement Session, bringing together leading higher education figures, industry representatives, and strategic partners to share ideas and insights in shaping the organisation’s future direction.
The engagement session held on 12 August, marked an important milestone in CTEF’s strategic planning process as the organisation embarks on developing a comprehensive roadmap to guide its initiatives and priorities over the next five years.
Designed as a collaborative platform, the programme enabled stakeholders to share perspectives on emerging trends, future challenges, and opportunities that influence tertiary education across the Commonwealth.
Delivering the welcoming remarks, Associate Professor Dr. Thien Lei Mee, Director of CTEF, stressed the importance of engaging stakeholders in shaping CTEF’s future direction. She noted that the strategic planning exercise offers an opportunity to gather diverse perspectives, strengthen partnerships, and ensure the organisation remains well-positioned to support the advancement of tertiary education across the Commonwealth.
Thien highlighted that the development of the CTEF Strategic Plan 2027–2031 presents a valuable opportunity to review CTEF’s achievements, identify new priorities, and strengthen its role in advancing collaboration and development in tertiary education throughout the Commonwealth.
"The success of CTEF future strategic direction depends greatly on the collective wisdom and experiences of our stakeholders," she noted, emphasising the importance of inclusive engagement to ensure the plan remains responsive, relevant, and impactful.
Among the distinguished stakeholders invited to the session were Emeritus Professor Dato’ Dr. Morshidi Sirat, Consultant and Founding Director, CTEF; Professor Dato’ Gs. Dr. Narimah Samat from the School of Humanities, USM; Professor Dr. Lee Keat Teong, Director of the International Office, USM; Professor Dr. Cheng Mien Wee, Executive Director of Sunway International School and Director of Pre-University Studies; Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Wan Zuhainis Saad, Director of the Centre for Academic Development and Leadership Excellence (CADe-Lead), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM); Dr. Shahrul Yahaya from Market and Industry Development, Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST); and Dr. Siti Rahyla Rahmat, Deputy Director (Global Engagement and International Strategic), International Office, USM.
Their participation reflected the diverse expertise represented at the workshop, encompassing higher education leadership, internationalisation, academic development, industry collaboration, and strategic planning. The gathering also provided a valuable opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange among stakeholders who share a common interest in strengthening the future of tertiary education.
The first session continued with a presentation on the CTEF Strategic Plan 2027–2031: Inception Report by Associate Professor Dr. Helen Tan Sui Hong, Deputy Director of the Strategic Planning, Quality and Risk Management Centre (SQRC), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). She presented the strategic planning framework that will guide the development of the new plan, highlighting key environmental factors affecting higher education and the importance of adopting future-focused approaches.
She also outlined the planning methodology and emphasised the need for evidence-based decision-making to ensure the strategic plan remains relevant amid rapid global changes.
A key highlight of the session was engaging the stakeholders for analysis and scenario planning activities. Using the Dator 4-Futures framework, they examined a range of possible futures for higher education and discussed how institutions can respond effectively to changing circumstances. The Futures Wheel exercise enabled participants to explore the cascading implications of various trends and developments that could influence the sector in the years ahead.
Session Two centred on analysing key forces influencing higher education and evaluating future scenarios using the 2×2 Scenario Matrix and Sharpe Three Horizons framework, providing valuable insights for CTEF’s long-term strategic planning. The interactive discussions generated valuable insights into future stakeholder expectations, emerging opportunities for collaboration, and strategies to help CTEF remain agile and responsive in a rapidly evolving educational environment.
The workshop concluded with Session Three, in which participants completed a SWOT Matrix exercise to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relevant to CTEF’s future development. The exercise served as a foundation for broader strategic goal-setting and provided important inputs for the formulation of the Strategic Plan 2027–2031.
Throughout the engagement session, stakeholders shared perspectives on key issues affecting tertiary education, including technological advancement, digital transformation, changing learner expectations, workforce readiness, sustainability, and international cooperation. Discussions underscored the growing importance of innovation, strategic partnerships, and lifelong learning in ensuring higher education institutions remain relevant and competitive.
As CTEF moves forward with the development of its Strategic Plan 2027–2031, the insights and recommendations gathered from the workshop will serve as valuable inputs in defining the organisation's strategic priorities and initiatives. The successful session reaffirmed the importance of collaboration and collective visioning in building a sustainable, innovative, and impactful future for tertiary education across the Commonwealth.
With the active support of its stakeholders, CTEF is well-positioned to strengthen its role as a catalyst for educational development, international cooperation, and excellence in tertiary education.