PENANG, 22 Jan. 2013 – The Higher Education Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has agreed to appointMuhamad bin Jantan, 57, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), for three years from 1st February.

The USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) position became vacant when the previous DVC, Professor Dato’ Asma Haji Ismail was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) in December 2012.

Muhamad, born in Malacca, was previously the Director of USM Institutional Development Division before being appointed as the Dean of Institute of Graduate Studies on 1st January 2013.

Muhamad holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. - 1st Class) from the University of Warwick and a Ph.D. in Operations Research from the University of Wales, United Kingdom. After becoming a tutor at the College of Wales, Aberystwyth, in 1979, he returned to Malaysia to begin his career at USM in 1982 at the School of Mathematical Sciences, before moving to the School of Management in 1990. He was appointed as an Associate Professor in 1993 and later a Professor in 2000.

Muhamad was appointed to various key positions at USM, involved in major planning in various committees for the development of the university as well as providing expertise to external parties, including the Ministry of Higher Education, also through the APEX Committee, Research University, Government Research Institute (GRIs), Centre of Excellence (HiCOEs), FRGS Grant and “Top Business School”.

He also contributed his expertise through the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), the National Accreditation Board, National Council of Professors and Rating System Committee of the Institute of Higher Education Malaysia (SETARA 2011).

Muhamad provided consultancy services to various companies and industries including Motorola, Intel, Solectron, Matsushita and many more besides organisations such as the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM). He is actively involved in voluntary organisations such as Penang Spastic Children Cooperative. Text: Mohamad Abdullah / Photo: Mohd. Fairus Md. Isa / Translation: Yong Check Yoon