Professor Ts. Dr. Aida Mustapha was appointed the new UMPSA DVC (R&I)

PEKAN, 4 June 2024 - Professor Ts. Dr. Aida Mustapha, 48, has been appointed as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, effective from 4 June 2024.

The appointment of Professor Ts. Dr. Aida Mustapha as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) was made by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) for a period of two years, from 4 June 2024 to 3 June 2026.

Born in Muar, Johor, she previously served at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) for ten years, holding positions such as Deputy Dean of the Office of Research Management, Consultancy, Commercialization & Innovation, Research and Development Centre (ORICC), Deputy Director (Grant Management Research) at the Research Management Centre (RMC), Deputy Director (Strategy and Development) at RMC, and Director of the Industry and Community Relations Centre (ICRC).  

She was also Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology at UTHM before being She was also the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology at UTHM before being appointed as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at UMPSA.

Professor Ts. Dr. Aida specializes in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in Computational Linguistics, Soft Computing, and Agent Systems. She is a Microsoft Certified and HRD Accredited Trainer, Chief Editor for the Journal of Quranic Sciences and Research, and a member of ISO/TC 204 Intelligent Transport Systems, the Malaysia Association of Research Managers and Administrators (MyRMA), the Malaysia Board of Technologists, and the International Association of Counselors and Therapists.

She began her Bachelor of Computer Science studies at Michigan Technological University, USA, in 1998 and continued her studies at the Master's level in Computer Science at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2004. In 2008, she obtained a Doctoral Degree (PhD) in AI from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

UMPSA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin, congratulated Professor Ts. Dr. Aida on her appointment.

"It is hoped that with this appointment, we will be able to jointly fulfill the trust given to drive the university's excellence and become a leading technological university in engineering and technology on the international stage," he said.

He also expressed his highest appreciation for Professor Ts. Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli, who contributed significantly to research and innovation during his tenure as DVC (R&I) from 15 March 2019 to 14 March 2024, helping to make UMPSA one of the best universities in the world.  

The arrival of Professor Ts. Dr. Aida in her office was greeted by university management and staff at the Tun Abdul Razak Chancellery Building, UMPSA Pekan.

The programme was followed by a prayer read by the Islamic Affairs Officer, Islamic and Human Development Centre (PIMPIN), Ustaz Muhammad Sallehudin Md Derus, and then a briefing session with the staff of the Research and Innovation Department.

This was followed by a meeting with the UMPSA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin, in the afternoon.

By: Nor Salwana Mohammad Idris, Centre for Corporate Communications

Translation by: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, UMPSA Career Centre (UMPSACC)