PETALING JAYA, April 2015 - Leading Thinkers, a group consisting of six experts and businessmen based locally and abroad shared their experience and expertise with the members of the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) University Management Committee (JKPU) here recently.

“This programme aims to discuss the best measures to take to ensure USM’s continued future relevance. This is in line with the 10 proposed shifts of the Malaysian Education Development Plan (Higher Education) or PPPM (PT),” said USM Vice-Chancellor, Profesor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman.

“These experts are renowned icons who have brought change or transformation in various fields including information technology, telecommunications, automotive and also investment,” added the Vice-Chancellor in an interview following the first sharing session which was chaired by member of the USM Board of Governors, Tengku Tan Sri Dr. Mahaleel Tengku Arif.

The Leading Thinkers present today were Tony Lee, Dato’ William Toh, Chin Chun Yean, Goh Peng Ooi, CK Chang and Lee Choo Boo.

During the second session, the JKPU members were divided into groups comprising finances, talent, branding and also Alumni according to their respective areas of specialisation and fields of expertise for further discussion with a designated member from the group of experts.

“Through the discussion and sharing sessions, several subjects were covered and given serious attention such as how to integrate the university. The university’s vision and mission were also revisited so that these will be close to the hearts of every member of the USM community,” said Tengku Mahleel who also presented on challenges facing the university in the future as it takes on the world.

Meanwhile, Choo Boo, who is Chief Executive Officer of ItraMAS Corporation Sdn Bhd stated that USM needs to identify its high impact innovations and focus full attention on developing these innovations to the highest level.

Asked about the role of the alumni, Choo Boo who graduated with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from USM in 1995 asserted that the university’s alumni have an important role to play as catalysts that can contribute ideas to assist the university to remain relevant to the community in teaching and learning, research and innovation and also in university-industy-community engagement.

“The university needs to increase the implementation of programmes which engage with its alumni, besides positioning USM alumni as ambassadors for the university since these alumni can be found throughout the world, and are involved in various different fields,” he added. - Translation: Dr. Nurul Farhana Low Abdullah/Text & Photos: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain