2025: Experience recognised through academic achievement
APEL.Q is a pathway for assessing whether learning gained through experience meets the outcomes of an approved academic programme. In 2025, public reports highlighted APEL.Q-related graduation milestones at more than one Malaysian university. City University Malaysia is one documented example, alongside HELP University.
These stories show how professional and public-service experience can form part of a formal academic assessment journey. They do not mean that years of experience alone automatically earn a degree: each candidate must complete the applicable assessment, and the programme and institution must fall within the relevant approval scope.
HELP University
21 APEL.Q graduates were recognised during HELP University’s 2025 convocation, according to The Star. One of the reported recipients received a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) through APEL.Q.
Read the report in The Star ↗City University Malaysia
City University reported a DBA APEL.Q completion-letter presentation in October, followed by the conferment of degrees to its inaugural APEL.Q DBA cohort at its 28th Convocation in November.
Read City University’s report ↗City University Malaysia: two milestones in one academic journey
City University Malaysia’s public reporting described two related moments in 2025. The first was a Presentation of Letters of Completion held on 21 October 2025 at the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN) Bukit Kiara. It recognised senior public-sector officers who had completed the university’s DBA pathway through APEL.Q.
A later report about the university’s 28th Convocation Ceremony on 8 November 2025 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur described the formal conferment of degrees to the first cohort of APEL.Q DBA graduates. The report placed this milestone within a broader convocation attended by graduates from a range of faculties and countries.
City University Malaysia — DBA APEL.Q completion ceremony report ↗
City University Malaysia — 28th Convocation and first APEL.Q graduates ↗
HELP University: APEL.Q graduates recognised in May 2025
In a report published on 13 May 2025, The Star covered HELP University’s convocation marking the institution’s 39th anniversary. The article reported that 21 graduates earned their qualifications through the APEL.Q route, including a recipient of the DBA qualification.
This provides another public example of APEL.Q being used to assess and recognise prior experiential learning in a university context. The report is a third-party news source; readers should confirm current programme details and approval status with the relevant university and MQA.
The Star — “University marks 39 years with grand convocation” ↗
What should prospective applicants check?
Institution approval
Check that the institution is authorised to conduct APEL.Q and that the particular programme is within the approved scope.
Assessment requirements
Ask about eligibility, evidence of learning, portfolio requirements, interviews or visits, challenge tests and any capstone assessment that applies.
Meaning of the outcome
Confirm whether a notice refers to course completion, a letter of completion, degree conferral or another milestone. These terms are not interchangeable.
APEL.Q does not guarantee a qualification based only on seniority or years of service. Formal assessment and the applicable MQA and institutional requirements determine the outcome.
Check the official MQA APEL.Q portal ↗ Check MQA’s published institution/programme list ↗
Sources and editorial note
This page is an original editorial summary. It paraphrases publicly reported facts and does not reproduce the universities’ article text or photographs. APEL.my is not representing itself as City University Malaysia or HELP University; details and current programme approval should always be checked at the original sources and with MQA.
- City University Malaysia — City University Celebrates DBA APEL.Q Graduates with Pride ↗Official report on the 21 October 2025 completion-letter presentation.
- City University Malaysia — 28th Convocation and first APEL.Q graduates ↗Official university report published in November 2025.
- The Star — University marks 39 years with grand convocation ↗Third-party report on HELP University’s 2025 convocation and APEL.Q graduates.
- Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) — APEL.Q portal ↗Official source for current requirements and information.
This overview is for general information only and is not an official MQA decision, eligibility assessment or endorsement of any institution. Programme availability and approval scopes can change.
Want to understand the right APEL route for your goals?
Review the full APEL.A, APEL.C and APEL.Q guide, then discuss your questions with the team.