| Summary: | Working adults acquire valuable knowledge and skills throughout their lives and work
experience. Learning occur through informal and non-formal means may be given due
recognition and upon proper assessment, be used for advance standing or as an entrance
qualification for access into higher education. Although the assessment of prior learning is
common in developed countries, its practice in Malaysia is limited. Open University
Malaysia (OUM) is a pioneer in the recognition of prior learning (RPL) efforts in the
country. At present, its RPL practices include the (a) Flexible Entry System, a gateway for
individuals to pursue higher education using lower academic entry qualifications and (b)
Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), an avenue to assess and grant
individuals with academic credits based on their experiential learning. This paper presents
the RPL practices at OUM with a focus on APEL. It highlights the principles as well as
processes of APEL within the institution. The description of the myAPEL system - an
instrument specifically developed to capture and evaluate prior experiential learning based
on specific learning outcomes - is included. The challenges involved in developing myAPEL
and its benefits will also be discussed. This paper will be beneficial for institutions as well as
learners who intend to capitalise on RPL. (Abstract by authors)
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