How does MQA’s PhD rule affect hiring for practitioner fields?

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MQA’s PhD rule can block experienced professionals from being interviewed for practitioner-field lecturer jobs in Malaysia, even when they have years of relevant teaching experience.

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) introduced a PhD-related hiring rule about two to three years ago, and it is now used by many Malaysian universities as a screening gate. This means that even if someone has taught Business, Journalism, or other practitioner-linked courses for around eight years, they can still struggle to get an interview if their PhD is not related to the specific department they are applying to teach.
What the PhD requirement changes at screening stage
In practice, HR and academic heads often look first at whether the candidate holds a PhD in the relevant field and whether their academic record fits institutional thresholds. Under the MQA rule, the field match of the PhD becomes a key entry condition, so years of prior classroom work may not be enough on its own. The effect is that some candidates may not even reach the interview stage when their PhD alignment is not considered suitable.
Why practitioner-oriented fields face a publication and hiring mismatch
Practitioner-oriented disciplines such as journalism, video production, teaching, and graphic design are described as areas where top professionals may not publish extensively in academic journals. The reference points out that these professionals often focus on practical work and may not have the time or inclination to produce long academic manuscripts for top-tier journals. As a result, hiring systems that prioritise academic publishing alongside PhD alignment can systematically disadvantage strong practitioners.
How the rule interacts with H-index and publication criteria
Some private institutions have adopted publication-related screening, including H-index thresholds and requirements tied to academic output. The stated rationale is that higher indices can lift international rankings such as QS and Times, which can translate into higher overseas student numbers. In practitioner fields, this can create a double filter where candidates may be rejected for not publishing enough, even if they are recognised for teaching and professional practice.
Likely impact on the pool of teaching staff in these fields
Because the PhD rule can exclude candidates whose PhD is not in the exact department field, the hiring pool for practitioner subjects can narrow even when the applicants have demonstrated teaching dedication. The reference highlights a “lose-lose” scenario where universities may refuse to interview Masters holders with proven experience for Bachelor-level courses solely due to lacking a PhD. Overall, the combined emphasis on PhD field relevance and publication records can reduce the diversity of teaching staff and limit access for practitioners who can provide semester-long engagement with students.

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How does MQA’s PhD rule affect hiring for practitioner fields?

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