Page 12 - UUM_SPP_III_2021-2025

FOREWORD

Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh and warm greetings.

First and foremost, let us give thanks to ALLAH S.W.T, the Most Gracious and
Most Merciful, for His infinite blessings that we are able to continue serving our
country and the University.
History is more than a path left by the past. It influences the present and can
shape the future. UUM has come a long way since its inception in 1984 and has
made a positive mark on the world academic map. We are on the right path to
achieve greater success and in no small measure, the result of a well-thought-out
master plan or better known as the UUM Strategic Plan that clearly charts the
future direction and growth of the University. We successfully went through Phase
I (2010-2015) and Phase II (2016-2020) of the plan and will embark on the third
and final phase (2021-2025) soon.

The tireless efforts and dedication by past and present denizens in realizing all
10 the University’s agenda have seen positive results. Over the years, our ascent in
university rankings has been consistent and calculated. Since 2013, when UUM
was first listed in the QS World University Ranking (QSWUR), the University has
consistently moved up the rankings and to date, we are ranked 107 by QSWUR
2021 in Asia and placed among the 3rd best universities in Malaysia by the Times
Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021. We have to acknowledge
that higher education rankings benefit the University because it serves as a
catalyst to attract the best brains and talents to come to teach and develop the
future generation of leaders and workers. It also provides potential international
partners with information on us for academic collaboration. Effectively, the ranking
process has successfully transformed the UUM brand into a household name in
Malaysia, and more importantly, UUM is recognizable globally.

We should not rest on our laurels. UUM must be worthy of these accolades.
Higher education as a whole is going through an intense period of uncertainties,
and universities all over the world are hard at work competing with each other for
students, budgets and teaching talent. It is worth noting that the competition now is
no longer between individual universities or countries. It has become institutional
and resulted in new classifications, categories and alliances of competitors
of the same league or level. In line with the Malaysia Education Blueprint for
Higher Education 2015 to 2025 (MEBHE) that aims to enhance the end-to-end
international student experience, increase brand visibility, and strengthen existing
and new markets for international students, UUM must continue to reach out to our
international partners and explore new markets for students. We must intensify
cross-border academic and research partnerships, exchange programmes, a
globally-focused curriculum and recruitment of foreign students and academics
to meet the demands of a globalised world. I believe the University’s future lies in