1. What is APEL.C?

APEL.C is a method of assessing knowledge acquired from work experience, life experience, or a collection of short courses for the purpose of obtaining credit transfer for courses within academic programs in Higher Education Providers (HEPs).

2. What is the difference between the previous APEL and APEL.C?

The previous APEL was intended for entry into HEPs, known as APEL (Access). APEL.C or APEL (Credit), on the other hand, is for the purpose of obtaining credit transfer.

Through the implementation of APEL.A and APEL.C, individuals with extensive experience can not only enter programs in HEPs but also use their experience to obtain credit transfer for specific courses within the study program. Therefore, students can complete their studies in a shorter period.

For the purpose of APEL.C assessment application, an individual must have student status (registered in a study program in HEP).

3. When did APEL.C begin to be implemented?

APEL.C was implemented in September 2016.

4. Who will conduct the APEL.C assessment for students?

APEL.C will be implemented directly by HEPs for their students, provided the HEPs have obtained approval from MQA to conduct APEL.C. To ensure assessment quality, HEPs must implement APEL.C based on the General Guidelines for Good Practices: APEL.C issued by MQA, which encompasses APEL.C operational policies and assessment instrument construction guidelines.

5. Is there an age limit for applying for APEL.C?

No. APEL.C does not have specific age limits for each level of study, unlike APEL.A.

6. Is APEL.C only open to citizens and students who have gone through APEL.A?

No. APEL.C is open to all students in HEPs who have obtained approval to conduct APEL.C, whether citizens or international students. APEL.C is also open to all students regardless of their method of entry into the study program, whether through APEL.A or conventional admission.

7. Do students applying for APEL.C need to take an exam to obtain credit transfer?

Students applying for APEL.C to HEPs will be assessed, but the assessment format depends on the relevance of the field. It does not necessarily involve an exam. Assessment methods can include demonstrations, portfolio interviews, and more.

8. What is the maximum amount of credit transfer allowed under APEL.C, and can a student obtain both APEL.C credit transfer and formal learning?

The maximum credit transfer under APEL.C is 30%. For students with formal qualifications and experience, they can obtain both APEL.C credit transfer and formal learning. For example, a student with a Diploma and work experience can obtain a maximum of 30% APEL.C credit transfer and 30% (formal learning) credit transfer for entry into a Bachelor’s program.

9. How will MQA ensure that all parties involved implement APEL.C correctly?

Firstly, to ensure HEPs are capable of effectively implementing APEL.C, only HEPs that have passed MQA’s assessment are allowed to conduct APEL.C.

MQA’s assessment scope of HEPs’ APEL.C implementation capability covers two main aspects: the HEP’s management system and facilities, as well as the HEP’s ability to develop and implement APEL.C assessment instruments.

Additionally, MQA will monitor the implementation of APEL.C in HEPs during accreditation visits and institutional audits.

10. Can colleges, branch campuses, or subsidiaries under a parent HEP use the APEL.C assessment approval obtained by the parent HEP?

No, they cannot. Each institution must independently apply for APEL.C to MQA as they each have their own Senate responsible for academic decisions.

11. Does the appeal process involve reviewing the APEL.C assessment decision issued to the student?

Yes. The appeal process after an unsuccessful APEL.C assessment result involves reviewing the same decision, not submitting additional evidence or re-sitting the assessment. If the application for APEL.C credit transfer is unsuccessful, students must follow the same course of study as regular students.

12. Can HEPs that have obtained approval to implement APEL.C change the student assessment fee?

Yes, they can. The determination of the APEL.C fee to students falls under the jurisdiction of the HEP. Therefore, setting and amending fees does not require MQA approval.

13. Is the implementation of APEL.C aligned with best practices outside the country?

Yes, certainly. APEL.C is constructed based on a compilation of best practices from various quality assurance agencies within and outside the country, open universities, and other related institutions.

14. What are the benefits of APEL.C?

Some of the benefits of APEL.C include:

Enabling students to complete their studies in a shorter period;

Encouraging working individuals to return to learning;

Recognizing individual learning experiences acquired outside formal education;

Avoiding redundant learning;

Potentially reducing student education costs;

Making our higher education system more flexible and comparable to developed countries that generally recognize prior learning;

Serving as a method to create a culture of lifelong learning;

Creating a knowledgeable society to contribute to national economic growth and social development;

Contributing to the development of the nation’s human capital through the recognition of skilled workers.