PENANG, 8 March 2013 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has always held women in high esteem and recognises their great contribution in academia, management, administration, and appreciates the potential that exists within them.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dato’ Omar Osman said the university is proud of the presence of women leaders in various fields and actively contributing their energy and ideas to improve the achievements of the university.

“It is also the university’s agenda to introduce a variety of programmes and policies that will benefit women especially those from the ‘bottom billion’ in line with the directions and concerns of the university on the challenges faced by women,” he said.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony celebrating USM Women's Day 2013 with the theme “Women's Agenda in the University: Reflection Over Time”, organised by the Women’s Development Research Centre (KANITA) here today.

He added that economic empowerment programmes through microcredit loans (micro-pinj) which was coordinated by KANITA has benefitted about 43 percent women borrowers amounting to RM 290,594.

Omar also said the university has also organised a number of entrepreneurship development programmes in line with the objectives of the university to adopt and inculcate entrepreneurship among its staff regardless of gender.

“I urge more female staff to take advantage of this kind of programmes to improve their socio-economic status and to develop the welfare of the economy of the family,” he said.

 The annual celebration is held in conjunction with the International Women's Day theme, that is “The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum.”

Also included in the ceremony is a forum that centres on the theme with a panel comprising Deputy Vice-Chancellor Division of Industry & Community Network, Prof. See Ching Mey; academia, Prof. Roshada Hashim; management and professional representative, Nurul Nur Farhana Yahya and student representative who had experienced the mission to Gaza, Palestine, Nazurah Mohd. Noh. - Text: Marziana Mohamed Alias/Photo: Mohd. Fairus Md. Isa/Translation: Yong Check Yoon