NEGERI SEMBILAN, 15 July 2026 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), through its Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF), has marked another milestone in higher education leadership by successfully co‑organising the Policy Development & Leadership Programme (PolicyLead) 2026.

Held from 13 to 15 July 2026 at AKEPT, Bandar Enstek, Negeri Sembilan, the programme was a joint initiative with the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) and Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), bringing together key stakeholders to strengthen policy innovation and leadership capacity in Malaysia’s tertiary education sector.

The three-day programme brought together 60 participants, comprising 40 national and 20 international participants from Commonwealth and Southeast Asia countries, including senior administrators, policymakers, academics, and researchers.

The PolicyLead 2026 provided a platform for participants to strengthen their competencies in evidence-based policy development, strategic leadership, and cross-border collaboration in higher education.

The programme commenced with welcoming remarks by the Director of AKEPT, Professor Dr. Harshita Aini Haroon, who emphasised the importance of developing future policy leaders equipped with the ability to navigate complex higher education landscapes and contribute towards institutional and national transformation.

One of the highlights of the programme was the keynote session titled “Higher Education in Challenging Times - Leadership for Excellence, Relevance & Societal Impact” delivered by the Chairman, Board of Directors, UUM, Tan Sri Dr. Mazlan Yusoff.

In his address, Mazlan highlighted the critical role of visionary leadership in ensuring that higher education institutions remain excellent, relevant, and responsive to societal needs amid rapid change and uncertainty.

Participants also gained valuable insights from distinguished speakers representing leading higher education institutions and policy organisations.

The Vice-Chancellor of IMU University, Professor Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail, shared perspectives on the transformative direction of the Malaysia Higher Education Plan (RPTM) 2026–2035, highlighting the importance of strategic policy alignment in shaping the future of higher education.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr. Rozita Arshad from UUM delivered a session on national policy cycles and policy formulation processes, providing participants with a deeper understanding of policy development mechanisms and governance frameworks.

The programme further strengthened participants’ analytical and research capabilities through a session on Data Synthesis and Problem Definition delivered by the Director of the Centre for Academic Development and Leadership Excellence (CADe-Lead), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Associate Professor Dr. Ts. Wan Zuhainis Saad.

The session underscored the importance of evidence, data interpretation, and problem identification in developing effective policy interventions.

Adding an international perspective, the Unit Head of the Academic Unit of Social Contexts and Policies of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Professor Dr. Jisun Jung, shared insights into global priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encouraging participants to consider inclusive, sustainable, and globally relevant approaches in higher education policymaking.

One of the key components of PolicyLead 2026 was the Policy Lab, which provided participants with a hands-on experience in developing policy proposals through multidisciplinary and cross-country collaboration.

The programme concluded with a Policy Pitching session moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Thien Lei Mee and led by Professor Dr. Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), UUM, where participants presented their policy recommendations and received feedback from experts.

The programme not only enhanced participants’ competencies in policy analysis, policy writing, and stakeholder engagement but also strengthened international networks among higher education professionals.

Importantly, PolicyLead 2026 also complemented the CTEF International Networking Session: Generating Knowledge and Sharing Good Practices, strengthening international collaboration and knowledge exchange while contributing to policy recommendations to be presented at the upcoming Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers (CCEM).

The policy ideas and recommendations developed through the Policy Lab and Policy Pitching sessions will contribute to CTEF's ongoing policy development initiatives and will be further refined into evidence-informed recommendations for the conference.

Through PolicyLead 2026, CTEF continues to advance higher education leadership and policy capacity development by fostering international collaboration, knowledge sharing, and evidence-based policymaking.

The initiative reflects CTEF's commitment to nurturing future policy leaders capable of driving resilient, inclusive, and globally connected higher education systems while contributing to policy discourse at both regional and Commonwealth levels.

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