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Financial sustainability of Malaysian public universities: officers’ perceptions

Nik Nazli Nik Ahmad (Department of Accounting, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Suhaiza Ismail (Department of Accounting, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Siti Alawiah Siraj (Department of Accounting, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

International Journal of Educational Management

ISSN: 0951-354X

Article publication date: 4 February 2019

1292

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to elicit perceptions of senior officers on the overall financial sustainability of their institutions; and, second, to examine senior officers’ perceptions on important revenue diversification and cost management practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a questionnaire survey with senior academic and administrative staff of the 20 public universities in Malaysia. In total, 275 questionnaires were distributed and 69 were returned, yielding a response rate of 25.09 per cent. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the general perceptions of the survey respondents on public university financial sustainability issues.

Findings

The study suggests that respondents are receptive of the financial sustainability challenges faced by their institutions. Respondents agree that increasing tuition fees may not be a feasible revenue enhancement strategy for public universities. Instead, all respondents agree that full utilisation of resources will be a key strategy that the universities can apply.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the limited research on the financial sustainability of public universities in developing countries. Findings of the study have implications for the financial management and governance of public universities in Malaysia and other countries facing similar fiscal challenges. The findings of the study also provide important empirical evidence for future work in the area.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the research funding obtained from LRGS grant LRGS14-002-0003 and the administrative support from the IIUM Centre of Islamic Economics (CIE). the authors also wish to thank all survey respondents who sepnt valuable time to complete our survey. Finally, the authors’ heartfelt thanks to all our research assistants. This project was a sub-project of a larger research grant relating to higher education institutions in Malaysia, funded by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. The authors wish to thank the LRGS (LRGS 14-002-0003) Programme leader Professor Dr Mohd Aslam Haneef, Director, Centre of Islamic Economics, International Islamic University Malaysia. The authors also extend our deepest gratitude to all the respondents, without whom this paper would not be possible. The authors wish to document our appreciation to all participants of the International Symposium on Waqf and Higher Education at the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey on 28–29 May 2016 for their insightful comments on an earlier version of this paper. The authors’ heartfelt appreciation also to the research assistants Nur Anis Pauzi, Mohamad Aiman Adnan and Siti Aiisyah Ghazali. Finally, the authors wish to thank Shariffah Nehran for her excellent administrative support of the project.

Citation

Nik Ahmad, N.N., Ismail, S. and Siraj, S.A. (2019), "Financial sustainability of Malaysian public universities: officers’ perceptions", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 317-334. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-06-2017-0140

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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