Policies and Guidelines 1

First edition 2022

Open University Malaysia

Menara OUM
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Jalan SS7/19, Kelana Jaya
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Malaysia

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Hotline: +603 7801 2000
E-mail: apel@oum.edu.my
Website: https://www.oum.edu.my

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and Technology, OUM.

Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM)

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may be reproduced in any form or by any
means without the written permission of the
President of Open University Malaysia (OUM).

www.oum.edu.my
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abbreviations 5

PART A Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) 7

A1. Introduction 8
A2. Definition of APEL 8
A3. Purpose and Objectives 10

PART B Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning for 11

Credit Award (APEL.C)

B1. Introduction 12
B2. Definition of APEL.C 12
B3. Core Principles of APEL.C 13
B3.1 Learner-Centred Voluntary Process 13
B3.2 Accessibility 13
B3.3 Quality 13
B3.4 APEL.C Policies 13
B3.4.1 General Policies 14
B3.4.2 Award of Credits 14
B3.5 Pre-Application Process 16
B3.6 Application 17
B3.7 Assessment of APEL.C 19
B3.8 Criteria for Award 20
B3.9 Assessment and Results 20
B4. Appeal 21

APPENDICES 22

APPENDIX I APEL.C PRE-APPLICATION FORM (APELC-01) 23

APPENDIX II APEL.C APPLICATION FORM (APELC-02) 27
APPENDIX III APEL.C PORTFOLIO FORM (APELC-03) 28

Policies and Guidelines 3

Policies and Guidelines 5
 APEL Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning

APEL.A Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning for Access

APEL.C Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning for Credit Award

CLO Course Learning Outcome

CGPA Cumulative Grade Point Average

GPA Grade Point Average

GGPs Guidelines to Good Practices

HEI Higher Education Institution

MOOCs Massive Open Online Courses

MQA Malaysian Qualifications Agency

MQF Malaysian Qualifications Framework

MQS Malaysian Qualification Statement

OUM Open University Malaysia

9MP Ninth Malaysia Plan

10MP Tenth Malaysia Plan

APEL.C @ OUM
6 Handbook
Policies and Guidelines 7
 A1. Introduction
A ccreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) is part of the
Malaysian Government’s effort to recognise the importance of lifelong
learning in the nation’s human capital development. Lifelong learning has
been noted as one of the essential targets to be achieved in the Ninth
Malaysia Plan (9MP) and the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP) for developing
a knowledge society to achieve its goals of becoming a developed nation.

APEL provides an opportunity for individuals with working experience

who lack formal academic qualifications to pursue their studies in
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). APEL’s assessment will assess the
knowledge obtained by these potential learners through formal, informal,
and non-formal events.

A2. Definition of APEL

The following is the definition of APEL:

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)

is a systematic process that involves the identification,
documentation, and assessment of prior experiential
learning, i.e., knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

It is used to determine the extent to which an individual has achieved the

desired learning outcomes in order to access a programme of study or to
be awarded credits. The APEL process generally involves the assessment
of experiential learning, including those which have not previously been
assessed or credit rated.

APEL.C @ OUM
8 Handbook
 This learning may be acquired through formal, non-formal, and informal
means. Table 1 shows the definitions for various types of learning.

Table 1:
Learning Definition
Definitions
of Formal,
Non-formal, Formal learning A learning/programme of study delivered
and Informal within an organised and structured context
Learning (preschool, primary school, secondary
school, college, and University) that may
lead to formal recognition or a recognised
qualification.

Non-formal Learning that takes place alongside

learning mainstream education and training systems.
It may be assessed but does not usually lead
to formal certification.

Informal learning Learning continuously through life and work

experiences. It is often unintentional learning.

The formal, non-formal, and informal learning include the following

(refer to Figure 1):

Figure 1:
Learning
Acquired
through
Formal,
Non-formal,
and Informal
Learning

Policies and Guidelines 9

 Examples of prior experiential learning include the relevant knowledge,
skills, and attitudes gained through:

work experience: full-time, part-time or casual;

voluntary and community work;
family duties;
hobbies or leisure activities;
coaching and mentoring others;
attending and participating in seminars, conferences, and
workshops;
attending short courses;
fluency in other languages;
private study and research; and
any other life experience.

Source: MQA. (2013). Guidelines to good practices: Accreditation of prior

experiential learning (2nd ed.). Malaysia Qualifications Agency. p. 4

A3. Purpose and Objectives

This handbook was developed to provide learners with a clear view of
Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning for Credit Award (APEL.C)
and assist them in their application of APEL.C. It is written based on the
Guidelines to Good Practices (GGP) of the MQA. It outlines the policies
on implementing APEL.C at OUM and describes the APEL.C application
procedures for learners.

APEL.C @ OUM
10 Handbook
Policies and Guidelines 11
 b1. Introduction
M QA developed the APEL.C to support lifelong learning. This is done
by recognising the value of learning that takes place beyond the
formal classroom settings and learning that occurs throughout work and
life experiences; regardless of when, where, and how it was acquired.

b2. Definition of APEL.c

The following is the definition of APEL.C:

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning for

Credit Award (APEL.C) is the award of credits for prior
experiential learning towards a course in an accredited
university academic programme.

APEL.C provides the mechanism to recognise an individual’s prior

experiential learning that is relevant and specific to a course within a
programme of study. The credit award is based on his or her knowledge
and skills acquired through non-formal and informal learning.

These forms of learning that emphasise experiential learning need to be

formally reviewed and assessed. The process will determine if learning
has occurred and is in line with the learning outcomes of the course(s)
concerned. It is the learning and not the experience of the learners being
evaluated.

APEL.C @ OUM
12 Handbook
B3. Core Principles of APEL.C
These sections cover the core principles of APEL.C.

B3.1 Learner-Centred Voluntary Process

APEL.C encourages continuous learning and promotes the positive
aspects of an individual’s learning experience. The core of APEL.C revolves
around the process where a learner initiates the application for credit
transfer through the assessment of his/her prior experiential learning.
It is the learners’ responsibility to provide sufficient documentation and
evidence for the evaluation. Although the learner undertakes the process
voluntarily, it must be facilitated by the University.

B3.2 Accessibility
APEL.C is an accessible and inclusive process available for registered
learners of study programmes at all levels of the MQF.

B3.3 Quality
All the processes and procedures in implementing APEL.C at OUM adhere
to the same and rigorous quality assurance and monitoring mechanism
as in the conventional credit transfer process. This quality assurance
process is always available for scrutiny by relevant external quality
assurance bodies/agencies, such as MQA.

B3.4 APEL.C Policies

OUM will adhere the APEL.C policies as outlined in the following sections.

Policies and Guidelines 13

 B3.4.1 General Policies
The following are the general policies involved:

(a) The APEL.C provision is applicable to OUM learners who have

already registered for an academic programme regardless of the
mode of entry, whether through the conventional or Accreditation
of Prior Experiential Learning for Access (APEL.A) route.

(b) APEL.C encompasses the assessment of prior experiential learning

for the credit award. The application will be considered regardless
if learning is acquired through Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) or any other methods of self-learning.

(c) APEL.C applies to all areas and qualifications in the MQF. For the
postgraduate level of study, the credit award is limited only to
the courses in programmes conducted via coursework and mixed
modes.

(d) APEL.C only applies to programmes that have already obtained at

least provisional accreditation from MQA.

(e) APEL.C applies to courses which form part of the programme

structure under professional bodies but are subject to acceptance
by relevant professional bodies.

(f) At OUM, APEL.C is applicable for selected courses in a programme.

B3.4.2 Award of Credits

Now, let us look at the details of award of credits:

(a) The award of credits through APEL.C is in the form of credit transfer,
which does not involve the transfer of grades. However, the credits
awarded for the course will be counted towards the total credit
requirement for graduation.

(b) The maximum percentage of credit transfer through APEL.C is 30%

of the total graduating credits of the chosen programme of study.
This percentage is in addition to the credit transfer provision based
on the existing formal credit transfer policy.

APEL.C @ OUM
14 Handbook
 Table 2 shows the maximum credit transfer allowed through APEL.C
at the various MQF levels.

Table 2:
30% from the
Maximum Minimum
Minimum Graduating
Credit Award Based on MQF Graduating
Credits (Coursework
Transfer Credits
Components)
Allowed
through
APEL.C at Level 8: Doctoral degree 80 24
the Various (applicable only to
MQF Levels coursework or mixed
mode programme)

Level 7: Master’s degree 40 12

(applicable only to
coursework or mixed
mode programme)

Level 7: Postgraduate 30 9
diploma

Level 7: Postgraduate 20 6
certificate

Level 6: Bachelor’s degree 120 36

Level 6: Graduate diploma 60 + 6 (MPU) 20

Level 6: Graduate certificate 30 + 6 (MPU) 11

Level 5: Advanced diploma 40 12

Level 4: Diploma 90 27

Level 3: Certificate 60 18

Policies and Guidelines 15

 (c) Credits awarded through APEL.C can be transferred automatically
to another programme within the same institution if the course
for which credits have been awarded through APEL.C has the same
learning outcomes.

(d) The credits awarded must be equivalent to the credit value of the
course applied for APEL.C. No partial credits will be awarded.

(e) Credits awarded for a course only apply to the chosen course. Credits
are not automatically applied to the chosen course’s prerequisites
(if any).

(f) Assessment for credit award is carried out separately for each
course. Credit awards cannot be granted on a block basis.

B3.5 Pre-Application Process

The pre-application process involves the following:

(a) Before applying for APEL.C, learners may refer to this handbook
and direct all the general enquiries to the APEL Centre.

(b) Suppose the learner decides to proceed with the APEL.C application.
In that case, the learner must complete an APEL.C PRE-APPLICATION
FORM (APELC-01) (refer to APPENDIX I).

(c) An advisor will be appointed to provide appropriate support and

advice on the mode of assessment (Challenge Test or Portfolio) to
be undertaken for the APEL.C application.

(d) Based on the self-assessment evaluation, the Advisor will determine

the learner’s eligibility and make an appropriate recommendation.

(e) Where the Advisor believes that the application is unlikely to

succeed, the learner will be advised accordingly and the application
process will cease.

(f) Suppose the Advisor believes that the learner’s application is

likely to succeed. In that case, the learner may complete the
APEL.C APPLICATION FORM (APELC-02) (refer to APPENDIX II)
for learners and pay the relevant fees before proceeding to the
assessment stage.

APEL.C @ OUM
16 Handbook
B3.6 Application
The application process for APEL.C is as follows:

(a) Learners may apply for APEL.C at any semester during their studies.
However, learners may be advised to submit their applications for
APEL.C during the first year of study.

(b) A non-refundable processing fee will be charged to learners as the

following once the APEL.C application is accepted and registered:
(i) RM100 (Diploma & Bachelor)
(ii) RM300 (Master’s degree & Doctorate)

(c) Learners are not allowed to apply for APEL.C for courses they have
already registered and undertaken during the study period.

(d) Figure 2 outlines the key processes and procedures of APEL.C

application for learners.

Policies and Guidelines 17

 Figure 2:
The Application
Process of
APEL.C

APEL.C @ OUM
18 Handbook
B3.7 Assessment of APEL.C
The assessment of APEL.C will encompass the comparability of the
experiential learning acquired by learners to the learning outcomes of a
course within an existing programme. The assessment should strictly be
made in correspondence to the course’s credit value and programme’s
level.

For the APEL.C assessment, learners can opt to undertake either a

Challenge Test or Portfolio submission, depending on the course’s
nature and the appointed APEL.C advisor’s advice.

(a) Challenge Test

• A Challenge Test is a standard test to assess if the learner has

achieved the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs).

• A Challenge Test can be in the form of a written test, oral

examination, or performance assessment, depending on the
nature and discipline of the course.

• A detailed list of the various types of assessment can be referred

to in MQA document Guidelines to Good Practices: Accreditation
of Prior Experiential Learning for Credit Award [APEL (C)].

(b) Portfolio

• A Portfolio is a formal document that contains a compilation of

evidence documenting the learner’s prior experiential learning
and their articulation of learning acquired.

• The learner prepares a Portfolio (refer to APPENDIX III for

the portfolio form) intending to demonstrate that the learning
acquired is relevant and specific to each of the CLOs for a
particular course.

Policies and Guidelines 19

 B3.8 Criteria for Award
Criteria for the award are as follows:

(a) Credits awarded through APEL.C must be based on demonstrated

and evidence-based learning, not solely on claiming the experience
itself.

(b) The course that has been awarded credit through APEL.C will appear
in the transcript of the learner as “CT (APEL)”, which is to be read
together with the Malaysian Qualification Statement (MQS). It will
not be considered in the calculation of Grade Point Average (GPA)/
Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). However, the credits
will be counted towards the total credits required for graduation.

(c) For the Challenge Test or Portfolio assessment, learners must

achieve at least 50% of each Course Learning Outcome.

(d) Learners who are not successful in the APEL.C assessment will
have to complete the course through the usual process in their
respective programme of studies.

(e) A credit award fee will be charged to learners as the following once
the learner satisfies the requirement of credit award:
(i) RM200 (Diploma)
(ii) RM300 (Bachelor)
(iii) RM600 (Master’s degree & Doctorate)

B3.9 Assessment and Results

The following are the explanations of the assessment and results of
APEL.C.

(a) To satisfy the requirement of credit awards, the learner must be

able to demonstrate achievement of at least 50% of each Course
Learning Outcome.

(b) All results of the assessment must be endorsed by the University

Examination Committee.

APEL.C @ OUM
20 Handbook
 (c) Course credits will be awarded and reflected in the academic
transcript as CT (APEL) for learners who are successful in the
Challenge Test or Portfolio. Although the grades will not be used
in calculating GPA/CGPA, the accumulated course credits will
contribute to the total credit requirement for graduation.

(d) A learner who fails the Challenge Test of the chosen course will not
be allowed to submit a Portfolio for assessment for the same course
and vice versa. Re-attempting the Challenge Test and re-submit
new evidence in the Portfolio for the same course through APEL.C
is strictly NOT allowed. In this case, the learner must register and
complete the course of their study programme through the usual
process.

B4. Appeal
A learner who is not satisfied with the result of the APEL.C can submit a
written appeal for re-grading of either Challenge Test or Portfolio to the
APEL Centre. The appeal needs to be submitted within 14 days from the
result date(s) announcement.

No new/additional evidence is allowed to be submitted during the

appeal process.

A different assessor will be appointed to evaluate the merit of the appeal.

A processing fee of RM100 will be charged for each appealed course.

The decision of the University Examination Committee shall be final. The

APEL Centre shall inform the learner of the outcome of the appeal.

Policies and Guidelines 21

 APEL.C @ OUM
22 Handbook
APPENDIX I
APEL.C PRE-APPLICATION FORM (APELC-01)

APEL.C PRE‐APPLICATION FORM (APELC‐01)

Rev. No. 1 Effective Date: 15 Sept 2022 Page: 1 of 4

PART A: PERSONAL PARTICULARS

Name Write your name as per I.C.

Matriculation No. Write your matric number.

Identity Card No. Write your I.C. No.

Programme of Study State the Name of Programme in OUM that you are currently pursuing

State the Course Code and Title for the Course that you are applying
Course Code & Course Title for APEL.C

No. of Credits of the Course State the Credit hours of the Course that you are applying for APEL.C

PART B: SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

Course Learning I have learned I know most of I am willing to I really need to
Outcomes (CLO) this through my this but I have complete a task/ take the
former studies or no paper assignment or module
On completion of
working career evidence any form of
this course, the
and can provide relevant
learner should be
paper evidence/ assessment to
able to…
documents/ show I have
certificates learned this

1. CLO1 Write in this column if Write in this column Write in this column if Write in this column
you fulfilled the if the above explain the above explain the if you need to take
above. the best your best your situation the module like
situation. normal student, i.e.,
to attend the course
Explain how and what AND you are willing to and assessment.
have been learnt in Explain how and complete task/
accordance to the what have been assignment or
CLO AND list the learnt in accordance assessment to show
evidence/documents/ to the CLO. the CLO attainment
certificates/etc. through learning
experience.

2. CLO2

3. CLO3

4. CLO4

5. CLO5

Policies and Guidelines 23

 APEL.C PRE‐APPLICATION FORM (APELC‐01)
Rev. No. 1 Effective Date: 15 Sept 2022 Page: 2 of 4

PART C: ESSAY WRITING

Write a minimum of 500-word essay to reflect the learning in accordance to the course content
and learning outcomes.

APEL.C @ OUM
24 Handbook
 APEL.C PRE‐APPLICATION FORM (APELC‐01)
Rev. No. 1 Effective Date: 15 Sept 2022 Page: 3 of 4

PART D: DECLARATION
I confirm that all the details on this form are correct to the best of my knowledge. The writing of
the essay is also my own works.

__________________________

Name :

Date :

For Office Use (TO BE COMPLETED BY ADVISOR)

PART E: ATTAINMENT OF CLO

Attainment of CLO (1 – 5)
CLO Evidence / Documents
(1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Satisfactory,
4 = Good, 5 = Excellent)
Available / Certificates

1 Yes / No

2 Yes / No

3 Yes / No

4 Yes / No

5 Yes / No
Note: The advisor will only recommend for APEL.C assessment if the score of each CLO is 3 and above.

Policies and Guidelines 25

 APEL.C PRE‐APPLICATION FORM (APELC‐01)
Rev. No. 1 Effective Date: 15 Sept 2022 Page: 4 of 4

PART F: ADVISOR RECOMMENDATION

Recommendation on Learner’s APEL.C Application:

Eligible

NOT eligible

Recommendation on the Mode of Assessment:

Challenge Test

Portfolio Assessment

__________________________

Name :

Date :

APEL.C @ OUM
26 Handbook
APPENDIX II
APEL.C APPLICATION FORM (APELC-02)

APEL.C APPLICATION FORM (APELC‐02)

Rev No.: 1 Effective Date: 15 Sept 2022 Page No:1 of 1

PART A: PERSONAL PARTICULARS

Name Write your name as per I.C.

Matriculation No. Write your Matric No.

Identity Card No. Write your I.C. No.

State the Name of Programme in OUM that you are currently

Programme of Study pursuing

State the Course Code and Title for the Course that you are
Course Code & Course Title applying for APEL(C)

State the Credit hours of the Course that you are applying for
No. of Credits of the Course APEL(C)

Challenge Test
Mode of Assessment Recommended by APEL.C
Advisor
Portfolio Submission

Confirmation of APEL.C Advisor I hereby confirm that the above learner has been
advised and is deemed eligible for the APEL.C
assessment.

_________________________________________

(signature)
Name of Advisor :
Date :

I hereby:

a. declare that I have read and understood all the terms and conditions stipulated in the
APEL.C@OUM Handbook; and
b. declare that all the information/documents provided to support this application are
authentic, true, and accurate.
c. agree to the mode of assessment recommended by the APEL.C Advisor.

I fully understand that Open University Malaysia reserves the right to reject my application if proven
otherwise.

Signature :

Name of Learner :

Date :

Policies and Guidelines 27

 APPENDIX III
APEL.C PORTFOLIO FORM (APELC-03)

APEL.C PORTFOLIO FORM (APELC‐03)

Rev. No. 1 Effective Date: 15 Sept 2022 Page: 1 of 2

PART A: PERSONAL PARTICULARS

Name Write your name as per I.C.

Matriculation No. Write your matric number.

Identity Card No. Write your I.C. No.

Programme of Study State the Name of Programme in OUM that you are currently pursuing

State the Course Code and Title for the Course that you are applying for
Course Code & Course Title APEL.C

No. of Credits of the Course State the Credit hours of the Course that you are applying for APEL.C

PART B: SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

Course Learning Learning Statements Origin of Learning Supporting
Outcomes (CLO) Documentation
On completion of
this course, the
learner should be
able to…

CLO1 Explain about the learning Explain the origin (place, List the supporting evidences
time, duration, people, etc.)
of the learning

CLO2

APEL.C @ OUM
28 Handbook
 APEL.C PORTFOLIO FORM (APELC‐03)
Rev. No. 1 Effective Date: 15 Sept 2022 Page: 2 of 2

CLO3

CLO4

PART D: DECLARATION

I hereby declare that all the information/documents provided to support this application are
authentic, true, and accurate. I fully understand that the OUM reserves the right to reject my
application if proven otherwise.

__________________________

Name :

Date :

Policies and Guidelines 29