Empowering competency-based talent management in Malaysia’s public universities: A strategic partnership between AKEPT and UMP

By: SITI SAKINAH MOHTAR, REGISTRY

Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) organised a series of programme on Competency-Based Talent Management (CBTM) called Talent Management for Excellence Series or TaME in 2018.

It held its fourth series of the programme, ‘International Immersive Learning Lab on Competency-Based Talent Management (CBTM) for University Leaders’, in Gold Coast, Australia from December 3-6, 2018.

The last three series were held in Kuala Terengganu, Kota Kinabalu and Nilai.        

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) was the co-organiser of the event. It was also the first university to implement CBTM in a holistic way.

The objective of the programme was to enhance the understanding, knowledge and skills on implementing CBTM in an organisation and in the process, the strategic partnership developed between AKEPT-UMP was expected to further enhance and strengthen the CBTM cause carried out in public universities.

UMP has now aligned the key performance index (KPI) of all staff to its strategic planning and a structured human capital development will be specifically designed for each position. This will provide the foundation for staff to meet their respective KPIs and eventually, fulfil the organisation’s mission and vision.

The development plan designed for each employee is the result of the competency assessment and what has been described is the result of instituting Pay for Performance (P4P) in UMP since 2016.

The two main agendas in the development of P4P is to obtain the best outcomes from the human capital resource and to have that kind of achievement accomplished on a daily basis.

P4P has been developed with four components:

1. Part A (KPI) that measures the return on investment made;
2. Part B (Personal Development) that weighs ones’ development;
3. Part C (Citizenship Behaviour) that holds the four core values which are must-haves for each UMP staff member. The values are Integrity, Accountability, Teamwork and Innovativeness; and
4. Part D (Developing Others) that encourages everyone to help and encourage others to become better.

AKEPT Director, Datuk Professor Dr. Rohana Yusof, in her speech, lauded the participants on their commitment to the programme since the commencement of the first series.

She hoped that the knowledge and experience gained would be useful and could be utilised in their respective organisations.

She added that it would not only help strengthen management and governance in the organisation but would also lead to modifications in implementing CBTM.

Among the guests present at the event were UMP Registrar, Abd Hamid Majid and Special Project Officer of Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM), Shanti Subramanian.

CBTM is Malaysia’s higher learning strategic agenda focusing on the transformation of human resource management through competency instruments.

The development of knowledge and skills capabilities among human resource managers and leaders are considered as an enabler to mobilise this agenda implemented in the county’s public universities.

It is also in line with Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education) for Shift 2: Talent Excellence.

A total of 57 participants from various public universities and different portfolios comprising chief operating officers, directors, managers and talent management executives attended the programme.

The programme consisted of 21 credit hours learning lab packed with lectures, case study analysis and interactive discussions as well as designing a competency framework.

The facilitators were CBTM experts and among them were McCue Consulting Pty Ltd Director, Kay McCue, School of Business and Tourism, Southern Cross University Lecturer, Dr. Silvia Nelson and JMJ Associates Part-Time Consultant, Professor Dr James Carlopio.

On December 6, 2018, the participants visited the Southern Cross University where CBTM was implemented.

They attended a few sessions on academic competency with Professor Robin Stonecash who was the Dean of Business and Head of School and on leadership competency with the HR Director, Sharon Farquhar and her team members, Renea Duignan and Trina Gray.

The participants were also presented with certificates upon completion of the sessions and they listened to the closing speech by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Tyrone Carlin.

The completion of the whole programme marked a new chapter for the participants who were now responsible in drafting a framework that would pave the way for the implementation of CBTM in their respective organisations.

The TaME programme will continue to be carried out from time to time in 2019 as the objective is to ensure that CBTM is effectively implemented in public universities.