NEGERI SEMBILAN, 16 July 2026 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), through the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF), successfully organised the CTEF International Networking Session: "Generating Knowledge and Sharing Good Practices", which brought together 60 participants comprising senior higher education administrators, policymakers, academics, and researchers from seven Commonwealth countries, including Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Belize, and Southeast Asia country, Timur Leste.

Held in conjunction with the Policy Development and Leadership Programme (PolicyLead) from 13 to 15 July 2026 at the Main Hall, Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT), Negeri Sembilan, the networking session provided a strategic platform for participants to exchange knowledge, strengthen professional networks, and explore collaborative approaches to emerging policy challenges in higher education.

The initiative underscores CTEF’s commitment to advancing tertiary education through international cooperation and evidence-informed policy development, while bringing together higher education leaders from across the Commonwealth to share best practices and build long-term institutional partnerships.

The programme opened with a presentation by the Director of CTEF, Associate Professor Dr. Thien Lei Mee, who highlighted the organisation’s pivotal role in driving stronger collaboration among Commonwealth nations in the field of higher education.

She highlighted CTEF's core functions, ongoing research initiatives, international collaborations, and flagship programmes, including PolicyLead, as key platforms for promoting knowledge generation, policy dialogue, and capacity building in tertiary education.

The programme also featured the Unit Head at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Professor Jisun Jung, who presented on the Consortium for Higher Education Research in Asia (CHERA).

In her presentation, she shared valuable insights on higher education research, policy engagement, and institutional transformation, highlighting the importance of evidence-based approaches in shaping responsive and future-ready higher education systems.

The networking session also highlighted PolicyLead's role as a catalyst for higher education transformation by strengthening the link between academic expertise, administrative leadership, and public policy.

Through interactive discussions and the sharing of international best practices, participants explored collaborative approaches to enhancing governance, policy implementation, and institutional resilience within the higher education sector.

As a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MoHE) and the Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC), CTEF continues to promote the generation and dissemination of knowledge, facilitate policy dialogue, and strengthen partnerships among Commonwealth member countries.

The organisation remains committed to supporting the development of future-ready policy leaders while contributing to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Text: Dr. Nur Rafidah Asyikin Idris/Photo: Sri Jeyanthirar Subramaniam, Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF), USM