Page 14 - VC Message

Leading with Purpose
Messages of the Vice Chancellor MESSAGES OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR

02 Instruction from the
MESSAGE NO.
Vice Chancellor

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
7 JANUARY 2024
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh dan Salam Sejahtera

Dear UM Campus Community,

Challenging times call for extraordinary measures. My first important message that
was sent during the new year was the first critical step in outlining the bold and
reformist intent to change things for the better.

I want to reiterate the consistent and persistent mantra that will be the course for me
and the university, the will to change and a mission-led and purpose-driven policy in
reforming the university.

I want to highlight the recent event over the weekend – Wacana Strategi of the Ministry
of Higher Education, in which the whole of the top management of the university has
attended.
The honourable Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has graced and officiated
the event with a key, impactful and firm address that was given to the entire higher
education fraternity.
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He has outlined the critical need for all of us to change, to realise the urgency of
increased competition, and the urgent need to transform the university with great
futuristic conviction. He has also reiterated the need to inject values into education,
and the issue of excellence without a soul has been extensively discussed.

For us to leap for the stars, our root of conviction in our values must remain solid.
Rapid changes have been occurring simultaneously, with simultaneous risks and
threats in different domains especially in digital, AI, energy transition and others and
the Prime Minister has outlined the urgency to bolster our own resilience and speed
of processes.
In the Wacana Strategi event, I have also served as the moderator for the discussion
on internationalization with key panellists including Dato Professor Adeeba, Tan Sri
Shukri and Dr. Abdul Razak.

I have argued on the importance of having a renewed outlook and policy implementation
of internationalisation to the country and the region. It must be strategically aligned and
moulded beyond conventional lenses of students of capital and research frameworks
alone. Strategic targeting and alignment of pooling of global resources and expertise
must be done.

The detailed internationalization strategic framework will be unveiled later.
1. The new leadership and management led by me has outlined this need to face the
root causes of our problems, to be frank and open in identifying the main factors
of our problems, and have the conviction to change things for the better.
2. As the Prime Minister has stated, time is of the essence. As we continue our
normal processes and practices, other players have been doubling their efforts to
stay ahead with the rapid changes of the future.