Abstract
Institutional audit is an integral part of the quality assurance process in the Malaysian higher education to determine whether the institution is achieving its mission and goals, to identify strengths and areas of concern, and to enhance quality. One form of institutional audit is the periodic academic performance audit to determine the continuation or maintenance of programme accreditation status. In 2011, UNITEN conducted an institutional audit (Academic Performance Audit) exercise to prepare for SETARA 2012 or the Rating System for Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia. UNITEN was conferred SETARA Tier 5 - Excellent in 2012 compared to Tier 4 in 2009. Based on action science approach, this paper discusses the lessons learned during the Academic Performance Audit (APA) conducted in 2011 and how they empowered the teaching-learning environment at UNITEN. It will also highlight the three innovations introduced in the APA process.