“Empowered Mindset, Remaining Relevant”: UMPSA launches 5 Transformation Agendas and 17 Strategic Shifts to drive institutional excellence

PEKAN, 14 April 2025 - Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) has marked an instrumental  milestone in its institutional journey with the launch of its 2025 strategic direction during the Vice-Chancellor’s Annual Address held at the Multi-Purpose Hall, UMPSA Pekan. 

Themed “Minda Perkasa, Kekal Relevan” (Empowered Mindset, Remaining Relevant), the address was delivered by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Yatimah Alias, in her first annual address as Vice-Chancellor since taking office. 

This year’s address outlines a bold and structured transformation blueprint designed to future-proof UMPSA’s position as a distinguished technical university. 

Central to the announcement are five Transformation Agendas and 17 Strategic Shifts, supported by a dedicated institutional investment of RM9.53 million. 

This transformative initiative is guided by UMPSA’s strategic SPIROS framework, a comprehensive approach that reflects the university’s commitment to excellence, resilience, and long-term sustainability.

SPIROS: A Strategic Compass for UMPSA’s Institutional Future

In framing the 2025 transformation, Professor Dr Yatimah introduced SPIROS as the guiding framework for institutional planning and implementation:

●    S (Skills) – Empowering students and staff with future-ready competencies through curriculum innovation, talent development, and lifelong learning pathways.

●    P (Perfection) – Instilling a high-performance culture rooted in integrity, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

●    I (Impact) – Driving high-impact research, industry partnerships, and community engagement that translate knowledge into meaningful societal outcomes.

●    R (Resilience) – Building institutional agility and human capital strength to withstand and respond to global disruptions.

●    O (Optimisation) – Enhancing operational systems, infrastructure, and campus ecosystems for greater effectiveness and responsiveness.

●    S (Sustainability) – Ensuring long-term financial health, environmental consciousness, and strategic governance across all levels.

Professor Dr Yatimah said, an empowered mindset is the foundation of transformation. 

“It fosters adaptability, innovation, and leadership. 

“Coupled with clearly defined strategic shifts, it enables us to remain relevant and resilient in a dynamic global higher education landscape,” she said. 

The Five Transformation Agendas: Strategic Focus Areas for 2025

1. Empowering and Advancing Individual Potential
UMPSA will enhance the capabilities of its academic and professional workforce and students through tailored training, professional development, and certification. This includes developing structured career pathways, expanding leadership pipelines, and aligning competency frameworks with industry benchmarks.

2. Delivering Competitive Academic Programmes
To enhance the employability and mobility of graduates, UMPSA will embark on curriculum restructuring, embed interdisciplinary elements, strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and reinforce English proficiency through a global lens.

3. Ensuring Financial Sustainability through Revenue Optimisation and Cost Efficiency
A holistic financial sustainability strategy has been introduced, focusing on optimising asset utilisation, increasing income from research, consultancy and investment portfolios, and institutionalising Outcome-Based Budgeting (OBB) to drive value-driven expenditure.

4. Strengthening Research, Industry Engagement, and Societal Impact
UMPSA will intensify applied research efforts, foster transdisciplinary projects, and strengthen strategic industry linkages. Initiatives will focus on solving real-world challenges while fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in both staff and students.

5. Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Campus Ecosystem
UMPSA is committed to creating a conducive, inclusive, and digitally enabled campus. Priorities include enhancing digital infrastructure, supporting student entrepreneurship, increasing international student and staff mobility, and deepening alumni engagement as strategic partners.

RM9.53 Million in Strategic Investment

To support the effective execution of these transformation agendas, UMPSA has allocated RM9.53 million, to be channelled into:

●    Professional development and global exposure for staff and students
●    Upgrading of TVET-related infrastructure and digital systems
●    Development of internationalisation programmes
●    Strengthening of research and innovation ecosystems
●    Enhanced student welfare and strategic marketing initiatives

This funding reflects UMPSA’s commitment to strategic reinvestment in its community, systems, and academic core, aligning with broader national agendas such as Malaysia MADANI and the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13).

A Visionary Step Towards Global Leadership in Technical Education

The 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Address serves as a unifying call to action for everyone to embrace a culture of transformation, agility, and excellence. As UMPSA approaches its 25th anniversary in 2027, these transformation initiatives are expected to elevate UMPSA’s regional and international profile as a TVET-driven, industry-engaged, and innovation-led institution.

Present at the event were the Chairman of the UMPSA Board of Directors, Dato’ Seri Abdul Razak Jaafar, Chairman of UMPSA Advanced, Dato' Hamdan  Hussin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Professor Dato’ Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Ziad Sulaiman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Professor Ts. Dr Mohd Rusllim Mohamed,  Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Ts. Dr Aida Mustapha, along with other members of the university’s senior leadership and UMPSA community.

By: Nur Ezzati Mohd Nasir, Office of The Vice-Chancellor