Higher Education D-G says universities must deliver tangible impact, not just achievements that look good on paper

SERDANG, June 15 — Public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs) can no longer operate in silos or remain passive, but must instead serve as engines of national growth, centres of social reconciliation and dynamic problem-solvers for communities.

Higher Education director-general Datuk Prof Dr Azlinda Azman said IPTAs today cannot focus solely on academic achievements. Rather, every ringgit allocated to these institutions must be translated into tangible impact on national development and the global community.

“IPTAs must act as engines of national growth, centres of social reconciliation and dynamic problem-solvers for communities. Universities cannot focus solely on achievements that appear impressive on paper.

“Instead, every ringgit allocated to universities must be returned in the form of tangible impact on both the national and global landscape,” she said when speaking at the launch of Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) Synergy Month 2026 programme here today.

She said the month-long programme, which runs throughout June, is a strategic initiative that reflects UPM’s commitment to strengthening the implementation of its university agenda in a holistic manner through the active participation of the entire campus community.

“UPM is sending a clear signal to industry, communities and the government that the discoveries and innovations emerging from the university are ready to be translated into solutions for global sustainability,” she said.

UPM Synergy Month 2026 serves as the university’s strategic platform to strengthen the implementation of its agenda in a holistic manner through the active participation of the entire campus community, while fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusivity and togetherness in advancing initiatives that benefit society, industry and the country.

The programme is driven by five strategic focus areas: agriculture and food security, planetary health and sustainability, global prominence, community well-being, and Jiwa Putra (UPM’s volunteerism initiative involving its staff and students).

Meanwhile, UPM vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said that as a leading repository of knowledge anchored in agriculture and sustainability, the university carries a significant moral and academic responsibility.

“Universities can no longer remain mere observers or ivory towers that produce academic papers alone. Instead, they must serve as leaders, living laboratories and key drivers of solutions to these global crises in order to ensure a balance between human well-being and the natural environment,” he said. — Bernama