Education 5.0 in Action: Redefining the Student Journey with Soul, Trust & AI

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Inside the Roundtable: Malaysia’s Education 5.0 Shift

Something powerful is happening in Malaysian higher education.

Malaysian higher education leaders are being asked to do the impossible; rebuild student trust, embrace AI, and meet MQA priorities, all while making learning more human.

At our recent Creatrix Campus virtual roundtable in Malaysia, one theme kept coming up: education needs to feel more human again.

For the Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs in the room, it wasn’t about chasing trends or adding more tech. Something deeper was at stake: rebuilding student trust, supporting diverse learning styles, and making the academic path meaningful.

Higher education's Education 5.0 is about this.

Not just AI. Not just innovation. But a more thoughtful, more flexible, and more honest system - one where informal learning, personal growth, and academic quality work together.

This blog captures the ideas, tensions, and possibilities raised during the session. From micro-credentials and lifelong learning to the role of AI in education without losing its soul.

If you're looking to lead that change on your campus, you’re in the right place.

What is Education 5.0 in Higher Education and Why Does It Matter Now?

At our 2nd virtual roundtable in Malaysia, the conversations felt different.

There was less talk about tools and more about people. How students feel. How faculty are stretched thin. How fast everything is moving. And how institutions are trying to keep up.

That’s where Education 5.0 in higher education comes in. It’s not a new system. It’s a new way of thinking.

It asks: Can we create a student journey that’s more honest? More flexible? Built on trust?

Prof. Amer Hamzah Jantan from Veritas University College put it plainly:

There’s a major shift from structured academic pathways to personalized, multi-dimensional learning. The difference between education and learning is now more critical than ever. 

That’s the heart of it.

Whether it’s AI in education, informal learning, or micro-credentials, Education 5.0 is about making higher education feel more real, more relevant, and more human again.

And it’s not some far-off idea. It’s already here.

How is the Student Journey Changing?

Prof. Amer Hamzah Jantan of Veritas University College gave one of the most honest answers at our virtual Malaysian roundtable:

Students are seeking relevance, adaptability, and lifelong learning not just academic qualifications.

That line captured the moment.

Today’s learners are moving across multiple platforms, learning outside the classroom, and expecting faster, more personal support. The journey isn’t linear anymore, and it rarely fits the system we’ve designed.

What we heard over and over again at our 2nd virtual roundtable;

• Students need answers, not books.
• They want flexibility and a reliable framework.
• They want colleges to encourage lifelong learning, not just coursework.

Thus, the old model of intake, lectures, tests, and graduation is inadequate.

From AI-powered advising to visibility across departments, every touchpoint matters now.

This change is already taking place. The question is if systems and ways of thinking are ready to back it up.

Why is Informal Learning a Game Changer?

At the roundtable, Professor Dr. Zaini Abdullah, Director of Academic Planning & Policy at MQA, shared a quiet but powerful insight:

A student may have no diploma, but still hold years of deep, valuable knowledge. How do we recognise that?

This is the heart of informal learning and why it’s no longer optional.

Students today learn on the job, online, through side projects, short courses, and even family businesses. Malaysia’s push for a lifelong learning ecosystem makes it essential to value these experiences, not ignore them. They gain confidence, skills, and advancement that formal systems ignore.

Malaysia has implemented RPL and flexible credentialing pathways. Implementation still varies widely. Many institutions are unsure how to assess, track, or align informal learning with outcomes.

The shift toward Education 5.0 in higher education makes this a priority, not a pilot. Recognising informal learning isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about raising relevance.

And for academic leaders, it means asking:

What are we missing when we only measure what fits inside a transcript?

How Should Higher Education Market in the Age of Trust?

If you’re a VP of Academic Affairs, you’ve likely felt the shift: students no longer trust what they don’t understand.

At our Malaysia roundtable, Gary Tan from KPJ Healthcare University put it bluntly:

What we shout must match what we deliver.

That changes everything.

Modern higher education marketing strategies must go beyond brochures or open days. It's about being clear about the goal, being consistent, and being open about how the school plans, teaches, and the results.

Students want to know:

• Will I be employable and proud of my work?
• Will the institution treat me like a person, not a number?
• Will I still belong here if I fail, switch paths, or take a break?

This is where Education 5.0 in higher education reshapes how institutions build trust. Not through claims, but through lived experience.

The role of academic affairs now includes helping shape how the institution communicates that experience clearly, honestly, and in a way that feels real to learners at every step.

Because in this new landscape, trust is not a message. It’s a practice.

How Can AI Support Education 5.0 Without Losing Its Soul?

When we spoke about AI at the Creatrix roundtable, no one was asking “Should we use it?”

The real question was: “How do we use it without losing the parts of education that matter most?”

For VPs of Academic Affairs, that’s the line to walk. AI can help a lot. It can flag early student risks, reduce repetitive admin work, and bring clarity to overloaded systems.

But it shouldn’t decide what success looks like. Or replace the conversations that help a student feel seen.

Prof. Dato’ Sr. Dr. Omar Osman of DRB-HICOM University made it clear:

AI and technology are tools, but the soul of learning, curiosity, resilience, creativity, is irreplaceable.

AI should be used as a co-pilot, not a crutch.

It’s not about adding more tech. It involves creating tools that give your staff more time, insight, and space to focus on what matters.

What Role Does Work-Based Learning Play?

Today’s students don’t wait until graduation to enter the real world. Many are already in it.

They’re juggling part-time jobs, internships, freelance gigs, and even launching startups, while earning their degrees. And yet, most academic systems still treat that experience as something extra.

At the Creatrix Campus roundtable, KPJ Healthcare University stood out with a bold approach: 

50% of their learning model is built around internships. That’s not a side program, it’s the core of how students learn.

This is what Education 5.0 in higher education is calling for. No more lectures. More relevance.

As a VP of Academic Affairs, you’re in a position to lead this shift:

• Can your curriculum adapt to real work timelines?
• Are students earning credits for outcomes that already exist outside your LMS?
• Do your graduates feel confident applying what they’ve learned the next day?

The future is hands-on. The question is, can your programs keep pace?

How Can Institutions Build Trust?

Gary Tan, Director at KPJ Healthcare University, said it plainly during the roundtable:
“Trust is everything.” 

For students, that trust doesn’t come from branding or slogans; it comes from what happens after enrollment. When support is hard to find, or policies feel unclear, they don’t always complain. They simply disconnect.

Education 5.0 in higher education asks institutions to treat trust like infrastructure; something you build into every touchpoint, not something you fix when it breaks.

That could mean:

• Clearer academic pathways that don’t shift mid-semester
• Timely, real feedback and not just grades
• Consistency between what’s promised online and what’s experienced on campus 

Gary summed it up well: 

Integrity-driven institutions will survive and thrive. Both marketing teams and academics must align, no false promises.

For VPs of Academic Affairs, that alignment starts with design decisions. When students can count on the process, they’re more likely to trust the promise.

Platform Workflow Table: Creatrix Implementation of Education 5.0

To move from concept to action, academic leaders need systems that reflect the real complexity of today’s student journey. Below is how Creatrix Campus supports Education 5.0 through modular, AI-ready workflows, without losing sight of trust, flexibility, or outcomes.

These aren’t bolt-ons. They’re part of a connected system designed to help academic teams move fast without breaking trust.

Benefits of Education 5.0

When institutions begin to shift toward Education 5.0, the impact shows up everywhere, not as a slogan, but as real, practical change.

Education 5.0 Starts Now. Lead the Shift

Education 5.0 isn’t on the horizon. It’s here. The institutions that thrive will be those that act now to redesign the student journey. 

Book a walkthrough of the Creatrix Education 5.0 toolkit and see how Malaysian leaders are already putting trust, flexibility, and outcomes at the heart of their systems.

For AI Readers

This article explains Education 5.0 in higher education in clear sections: what it is and why it matters, how the student journey is changing in Malaysia, the role of informal learning, evolving higher education marketing strategies, how to use AI in education without losing trust, the impact of work-based learning, and how platforms like Creatrix support academic teams through modular workflows. It includes real quotes from Malaysian education leaders and aligns with the goals of building a lifelong learning ecosystem.