USM PENANG, 28 Sept. 2022 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), in collaboration with USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd., today set another milestone with the launching of the Computer-Based Test Centre, known as CBT@USM>.

This centre secured the prestigious Educational Testing Service (ETS) recognition from USA, with the accreditation to conduct the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

This puts USM as the first higher educational institution (IPTA) in Malaysia to be able to provide a TOEFL iBT Test service for any registered candidate from anywhere in the world.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan along with the Chairman of USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd., Datuk Dr. Hafsah Hashim officiated the launching of the Centre here today.

Faisal Rafiq congratulated USAINS on the official opening of the centre and is confident that this centre will be able to provide the best-in-class test environment for candidates, especially for those coming from the northern region of Malaysia.

In addition, he said “With this accreditation by ETS, I am proud that both the USM staff manning this lab and the USM computer lab are of global standards and compliance and the USM name is also now visible globally at the TOEFL registration portal. I applaud everyone who had made this achievement possible”.

USM Board of Governors Chairman, Dato’ Seri Dr. Awang Adek Hussin and Hafsah respectively congratulated the Vice-Chancellor and USAINS group managing director for this international achievement and yet another milestone for USM in the quest to attract many more international students and providing TOEFL test and TOEFL test preparation classes as an alternative to cater for the English language entry requirement to USM and other higher institutions in Malaysia.

The CBT@USM Centre, located within the premise of the USM School of Educational Studies, currently has 9 trained and ETS certified Test Centre Administrators (TCAs) and 4 authorised Proctors, together with 2 TOEFL certified instructors from the USM School of Languages, Literacies and Translation, namely Nadia Roselilyana Noordin and Azril Ali, along with one trained TOEIC certified instructor from the USM School of Humanities, Dr. Leelany Ayob.

Also present at the launching ceremony were USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) Research and Innovation, Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed; DVC Student Development Affairs and Alumni, Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman, and DVC Sustainability and Institutional Development, Professor Dr. Md Roslan Hashim; USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd. Managing Director, Farid Wajidi Mat Yusoff; Test Centre Malaysia Managing Director, Ezani Amir and CBT@USM Project Leader, who is also a Senior Education Specialist @ USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd., Associate Professor Dr. Shaik Abdul Malik Mohamed Ismail.

For the record, USM was ranked 1st in Malaysia last year for the achievement in securing the highest number of international students for undergraduate and post-graduate programmes among all, public and private, universities in Malaysia.

Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa