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UNIVERSITI UTARA MALAYSIA

the ability to strengthen its international dimension and be recognized not just for
its affordability, but also for its academic and research expertise.

In the context of learning, our students yearn for a meaningful learning experience
that will make a positive impact on their present and future life. English Language
mastery is not just for academic purposes, but also an indispensable tool when
they seek to put into practice the knowledge and skills learned at the work place.
I believe our students must strive to enhance their level of English Language
proficiency and this can be achieved through holistic education. This educational
concept places emphasis on the whole growth of a learner instead of only
emphasizing the academic aspects of the learning process. It promotes balanced
relationships between people and their environment. Students who have gone
through this learning experience will undoubtedly have meaningful language
experience and lasting appreciation for a better and sustainable world. We should
all strive to provide such learning experience to our students in the forthcoming
UUM Strategic Plan III with well planned and executed learning programmes.

To realize the above important agenda, we must have a sound strategy and
adequate resources that are embedded within a progressive corporate culture that
guides how we act, feel, and think. Corporate culture symbolizes the University’s
unique personality and expresses its core values, ethics, behaviors, and beliefs.
I very much hope that we can collectively instill and uphold such values, like 11
integrity, accountability, innovativeness, inclusiveness and adaptability, in our
actions at the University. In the present competitive yet uncertain environment, a
strong corporate culture is critical to the success of UUM.

We are indeed living in turbulent times and uncertainties brought about by the
COVID-19 pandemic. The enforcement of various forms of the movement control
order (MCO) by the government as a measure to contain the pandemic has taken
its toll and impacted the community. Notwithstanding, I believe that we should
view the pandemic as a ‘blessing in disguise’ and ‘a shot in the arm’ that can
motivate us into rethinking the manner in which we used to do things.

In closing, suffice to say that the challenges ahead are great and the work before
us is hard. Our journey is going to be difficult and the path is never going to be
perfect. Yet, we have come through the first two UUM strategic plans with a high
degree of success. Winston Churchill once famously said, ‘In the long years to
come when people look back at what we have done, do not despair and do not
yield. March straight forward with courage, purpose, humility and hope’. Whenever
the test and tribulations ahead may seem too big or too many, remember always
that ALLAH SWT is there to help those who seek Him. Let us bond together in
the true spirit of collegiality, to become a person who is fundamentally honest and
who treats other people with respect and to make this University ‘The Eminent
Management University’. Let us believe in ourselves to bring about change for a
better future for UUM, Malaysia and the world, In Sha ALLAH.

PROF. DATO’ DR. AHMAD BASHAWIR BIN HAJI ABDUL GHANI
Vice-Chancellor, Universiti Utara Malaysia