SEGi launches APEL Centre, a flexible academic pathway for working adults

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, March 31, 2023- In its continuous efforts in delivering affordable, quality education for eager minds and natural talents, SEGi University & Colleges has officially launched the SEGi APEL Centre.

"SEGi saw an opportunity to offer programmes that are truly accessible to adult learners through APEL," said Stella Lau, Managing Director of SEGi University & Colleges.

"The Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) has carved a new, stronger-than-ever avenue where we cater specifically to working adults' academic needs – designing programmes that are flexible in terms of time, finances and access. I am proud to share that we offer all three APELs via the newly launched SEGi APEL Centre," said SEGi University & College Managing Director Stella Lau. 

Being a leading group of higher education institutions in Malaysia with 46 years of achieved excellence, SEGi has witnessed the evolution in the job market due to globalisation and digitalisation, more so in the present-day 'economic recovery' phase post-COVID-19. 

Lau shared that the job market is even more competitive now. "The Department of Statistics Malaysia recently highlighted that the country's unemployment rate has increased from 4.8% in 2021 to 5.4% in 2022. While this has decreased slightly to 4.9% in the first quarter of 2023, many in the current workforce struggle to keep their jobs. 

We discovered that many working adults have given up on furthering their studies due to two major 'roadblocks' – lack of time, and insufficient prior qualifications. SEGi saw an opportunity to offer programmes that are truly accessible to adult learners through APEL," said Lau.

APEL was rolled out by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) in 2011, recognising prior learning and working experiences as an alternative means to obtain higher education qualifications. APEL can help working adults bridge the experience-qualifications gap in the job market as it comes in three formats, each packed with flexibility, convenience, and other benefits, so they do not need to start their studies from scratch. 

APEL.A provides access for those who did not meet the traditional entry requirement to a programme. In addition to saving costs, APEL.A reduces redundancy in their learning process to obtain a Master's degree of their choice. 

APEL.C suits busy working adults who cannot commit to a full-fledged degree programme, enabling them to use prior work experience to enter a specific course or module relevant to their career. By streamlining their study – upskilling in critical areas and trimming away any redundancy – these working adults can complete the programme in a shorter period without sacrificing their work or personal commitments.

Meanwhile, APEL.Q enables kindergarten teachers to use their work experience to convert into a Diploma in Early Childhood Education or a Degree in Education. This allows them to formalise their work experience and gain the necessary qualifications to advance their careers.

Further, APEL has inspired the expansion of SEGi's Adult Learning Programme covering various fields of study including Business, Engineering, IT, Hospitality and Education. Lau said: "SEGi's adult learners will have the opportunity to be mentored by academics who are industry experts. You can fully optimise your learning experience, #ReachHigher in your KPIs, deliverables, and business objectives."

Source: SEGi University & Colleges