as the penang selfevaluation report notes higher education institutions in the region do not have courses that are especially designed to meet the needs of the penang region or are drawn upon based upon the specific characteristics of penang there is no systematic regional strategy at the federal supraregional northern corridor economic region or state levels to engage higher education institution in addressing the region s human resource challenges the engagement of the universiti sains malaysia usm in the region is largely a consequence of being the largest institution in the region not a result of deliberate strategy of the institution or region