PENANG, November 2014 - “To be a successful leader, student leaders should think globally as part of the ‘world's citizens’ to develop knowledge and the nation together,” Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman, said, adding that the time has come for USM student leaders to depart from thinking, discussing and resolving trivial matters, they have to emerge from the existing mind-set and move on to global issues.

Omar spoke in front of 500 USM student leaders recently with hope that the students will not remain status quo and that USM is willing to provide opportunities for students who want to think globally.

“The top management of USM has always strived to create an environment that is conducive to a variety of intellectual activities with the principles of knowledge and ideas. These would be useful to the community as the students’ development agenda is consistent with the mission and vision of USM as a Research and APEX university,” he said before the question-and-answer session with student leaders at Dewan Utama Desasiswa (DUD), USM.

Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs and Development (BHEPP), Professor Dr. Adnan Hussein, the President of the USM Student Representative Council, Mohamad Shafiq Kamaruddin, and the university’s principal officers.

He added that USM always gives freedom and autonomy in expressing ideas and opinions but requested that they should not deviate from the values of knowledge, facts and data that we must advocate and respect.

“When you are in the society later, student leaders should develop wisdom in taking appropriate action, especially when it involves large public groups," he said.

At the same time, the Vice-Chancellor also presented an outline of the APEX university and some of USM’s global successes in line with what are expected by the university of the student leadership which was titled "Student Empowerment Towards Building Global Mindset Citizen".

Omar also hopes that the successes of USM students will be consistent at national and international levels.

The ceremony continued with a question-and-answer session between the Vice-Chancellor and students before a dinner together with the principal officers of the university. - Translation: Siti Faizah Abd Halim​/Text: Mohd Azrul Mohd Azhar