NIBONG TEBAL, 30 June 2026 – A total of 478 Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) staff were honoured at the University Appreciation Ceremony 2026, which recognised recipients of the 2025 Excellent Service Award (APC) and the 2026 Long Service Appreciation Award (ASB) in recognition of their outstanding performance and invaluable contributions to the university.

The ceremony, held at the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus (KKTSS), was officiated by the USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed.

In his speech, he said that 397 staff from various Responsibility Centres (PTJ) at both the Main Campus and KKTSS were selected as recipients of the 2025 Excellent Service Award (APC), comprising 119 academic staff, 54 management and professional staff, and 224 support staff.

In addition, 81 staff members received the 2026 Long Service Appreciation Award (ASB), consisting of 22 academic staff, 12 management and professional staff, and 47 support staff, bringing the total number of honourees to 478 university staff members.

He also noted that for the ASB recipients, their dedication and commitment throughout 25 years of service have been among the key strengths contributing to USM's achievements at both the national and international levels.

"These awards reflect Universiti Sains Malaysia's commitment to safeguarding the welfare of its staff while recognising their invaluable contributions," he said.

According to him, this approach is aligned with the university's APEX aspirations, which place staff well-being as a fundamental pillar in building an excellent and sustainable institution.

"The University will continue to ensure that the recognition accorded to its staff is commensurate with their dedication and contributions, including increasing the incentive for ASB recipients to RM500, compared to RM300 previously," he added.

Meanwhile, he said that recognising the contributions of university staff is particularly significant as USM continues to achieve remarkable success on the global stage.

"USM is now ranked 128th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027, making it the second-best university in Malaysia. In addition, USM is ranked fifth globally and first in Asia and Malaysia in the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, while also maintaining the world's top position for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17: Partnerships for the Goals," he said.

He emphasised that these achievements are the result of the collective commitment of the university community and expressed hope that the spirit of dedication, integrity, and excellence would continue to be strengthened to ensure USM remains globally competitive.

Text: Siti Faizah Abd Halim/Photo: Muhammad Taufik Abdul Rahman, Office of the Campus Director, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus (KKTSS), USM