Comparison of students' perception about curriculum design versus employability in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand

Globalisation and technological developments demand employees be highly skilled. The graduates of Higher Education Institutions are facing problems in getting jobs due to lack of employability skills. Curriculum designing plays an essential role in preparing the student to meet the challenges of employment. The purpose of this paper is to understand the perception of students regarding the followed scheme of studies explicitly focused on perceived quality and applicability of the curriculum for employment. This study is conducted in universities across three countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand). Focus group discussion held which comprises of 20 Master's Program participants from each country. The findings revealed that universities curriculum under Master's Program needs revision by addition of modules related to skills development, practical work, fieldwork and industrial interaction in the form of internships. A model has been designed to explain the curriculum design effectiveness and employability of the students in the three countries.