UTM VICE-CHANCELLOR COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING VARSITY TOWARDS GLOBAL EXCELLENCE

JOHOR BAHRU, April 23 (Bernama) -- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim is committed to empowering the varsity's mission towards global excellence through a strategic and inclusive approach during the first 100 days of his administration.

UTM Office of Strategic and Corporate Affairs said Mohd Shafry, who is also UTM's eighth vice-chancellor, has been driving various institutional transformation agendas to strengthen the university's position as a premier higher education institution in the region.

It added that the key achievements included expanding the international network, which has paved the way for collaboration in the fields of aerospace, philosophy and artificial intelligence (AI), through staff and student exchanges at the global level.

"These initiatives were mobilised through various visits to foreign universities and active participation in international high education forums, such as the EURASIA Higher Education Summit (EURIE) 2025 in Turkiye.

"As a result of these efforts, UTM succeeded in forging 12 strategic alliances with international institutions, including through the SATU Presidents’ Forum Taiwan, Anhui Normal University, Samarkand State University and Fergana Polytechnical University, thus strengthening UTM's position in the global education network,” it said in a statement today.

The statement added that, more impressively, UTM also plays a key role in the national artificial intelligence agenda when it was appointed as the main lead of the Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Council (MAIC).

It said that UTM also played a crucial role in the creation of the National AI Office (NAIO), further strengthening the university's position in the AI landscape at the national and international levels.

"In terms of state-level collaboration, it also strengthened strategic ties with the Johor government, particularly in areas of education and workforce development, including in emphasising the empowerment of UTM graduates with high skills and training to enhance the capacity of civil servants working in the university.

"Focus is also given to cooperation with industry players, with UTM signing several key memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with companies like AIR TRUNK, DHL, Polygon Synergy Ventures Sdn Bhd and Mojitek Sdn Bhd, in addition to a strategic visit to Batik Air aimed at exploring the potential for long-term collaboration,” it said.

The statement added that the spirit of togetherness was expressed through contributions to the UTM Endowment Fund, with a total amount of RM584,865 raised.

"The main contributors included the  Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP), MBSB Bank Berhad, RHB Islamic Bank Sdn Bhd and the country's prominent scholar and professional Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang, whereby engagement with UTM alumni also became a priority under Mohd Shafry’s leadership.

"Through the alumni’s active participation in various university activities, closer ties can be forged to strengthen support for UTM. In addition, these efforts also aim to increase contributions to the Student Education Endowment Fund, symbolising the special bond between alumni and the university,” it said.

The statement added that Mohd Shafry also outlined three key initiatives after his 100 days of administration, with the first being the strengthening of the university community’s spirit through the empowerment of a culture of wisdom that upholds karamah insaniah (human dignity), producing knowledgeable individuals capable of addressing complex issues toward global sustainability and humanity.

"Secondly, the organisational transformation that emphasises innovation, optimation and continuous transformation, including reviewing promotion processes to ensure fairer and more balanced assessment and, thirdly, the implementation of UTM Ascend 2030, which is UTM's strategic plan to propel the university's direction for the 2026-2030 period, towards achieving comprehensive excellence at the global level,” it said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shafry said that Saturday (April 19) marked 100 days since he took on the responsibility as UTM's eighth vice-chancellor.

"During these 100 days, I realised that the highest priority should be given to the UTM community, with many initiatives undertaken during this period and taking place at international, national, state and varsity levels,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA