This paper focus on examining the relationship between TQM (Total Quality Management) elements and service performance to students in public higher learning institutions. The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between the elements of TQM in achieving excellent service performance to students in public higher learning and the most dominant element. The public institutions of higher learning involved in this study are UiTM Kota Bharu, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, and University Malaya. In this study, the service performance indicators involved are academic performance, facilities, technology, faculty, transportation, and accommodation whereas the elements of TQM are management support, continuous improvement, training and education, and customer focus. The data have been analyzed using the descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The findings of this research indicated that customer focus is the most important element of TQM in achieving excellent service performance for students at public higher learning institutions. The findings also indicated that the TQM element 'management support' have a weak relationship with the service performance to students. This may be due to all three institutions involved in this study are branch campuses.

Higher learning institutions in Malaysia recently became a subject of scrutiny by stakeholders and the public at large. Its managerial and leadership performance were being assessed through various perspectives. A pilot study was conducted to measure the performance of the heads of department leadership, with an objective to identify factors that drive their leadership performance. One hundredand twenty twofull-time managerial/professional and supervisory staff in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Terengganu, Malaysia, participated in this survey. The questionnaire was adopted from an international management survey to measure the effectiveness of the management capability of Malaysian organizations. The results from the survey showed that there were different perceptions between the academic and non-academic staff in UiTM of the ability of the heads of department leadership performance in developing the organization's capability. The survey also concluded that visionary & strategic leadership; and leadership skills & personality traits of these department heads were pivotal in shaping their leadership performance in UiTM Terengganu.