Do top publications always mean good teaching?

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Top publications do not automatically mean good teaching in Malaysian university hiring

Malaysia’s university hiring practices can place heavy weight on PhD qualifications and academic publication records, but that does not necessarily translate into better classroom teaching. The practice is driven by a Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) PhD requirement that emerged around 2 to 3 years ago and by some private institutions adopting publication metrics such as the H-index. The underlying concern is that strong publishing may screen out capable lecturers who communicate well, care for students, and teach effectively even without a PhD or extensive journal output.
The PhD requirement can block interview access regardless of past teaching
The hiring focus described centres on whether applicants hold a PhD in the specific field they want to teach, with the PhD requirement tied to MQA rules introduced roughly 2 to 3 years ago. The argument is that if a lecturer has taught subjects such as Business or Journalism for years but does not hold a related PhD, they may struggle to even get an interview. This means teaching experience alone may not be enough when the PhD field-match becomes a gatekeeping criterion.
Publication and H-index targets are linked to international rankings and student numbers
Publication expectations, including H-index thresholds, are described as being increasingly adopted by private institutions. The rationale given is that universities with more staff who meet these bibliometric indicators tend to see improvements in international rankings such as QS and Times, which are associated with higher overseas student numbers. In this framing, publication performance is treated as a ranking lever, even though the article questions whether it aligns with what students need from lecturers during a semester.
Many strong lecturers may not fit the “PhD plus top-tier journals” pattern
The piece highlights that many good lecturers and teachers can communicate a syllabus effectively, inspire students, and help organise academic life, yet may only have a Masters degree or may not publish much. It also argues that refusing to interview a Masters holder to teach a Bachelor degree course solely due to not holding a PhD can become a “lose-lose” outcome when the person has proven dedication and skill. A similar disconnect is raised for publication, where lecturers who are present throughout the semester and support the department may not write extensively for academic journals.
Some practitioner fields may not reward journal publishing as a marker of excellence
The article points out that in practitioner-oriented disciplines such as journalism, video production, teaching, and graphic design, top professionals may not publish heavily in top-tier academic journals. It describes a mismatch between what academic publishing often demands—such as long manuscripts formatted for journal submission—and the time or interest that practitioners may have due to active professional engagement. It then questions how many lecturers who meet both “correct PhD” and “strong publication” criteria are also demonstrably effective classroom teachers with patience and engagement.

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Do top publications always mean good teaching?

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