Student autonomy must come with checks and balances, says VC

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia's vice-chancellor, Mas Fawzi Ali, emphasized the necessity of pairing student autonomy with robust checks and balances. He urged students to confidently express their knowledge and criticism, grounded in facts, while understanding the principles of trust and accountability. Recognizing the importance of student autonomy and campus democracy, Fawzi highlighted that students must assume greater responsibility when granted more autonomy.

He cautioned that there is a risk of misuse of freedoms, politicalization of university campuses, and external influences on academic harmony. Fawzi stressed that giving students the freedom to speak out and voice criticism is vital for cultivating critically thinking and mature graduates, as part of the learning process in universities where they are trained in leadership, conflict resolution, and ethical decision-making.

However, he reiterated that freedom must come with responsibility. Students must dare to speak with knowledge and criticize based on facts, while understanding trust and accountability. The vice-chancellor noted that the proposed repealing of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (Auku) should be followed by a comprehensive and harmonious legal framework for higher education.

This new framework should clearly outline university autonomy, governance, academic freedom, student rights, and accountability measures. Replacing a law, according to Fawzi, is about building a more mature, trustworthy, and responsible higher education ecosystem. The ultimate goal of education, he added, is to produce knowledgeable, human-centric students who can apply their knowledge ethically and responsibly.