UMPSA drives Student Empowerment Agenda

GAMBANG, 15 October 2023 - The Minister of Higher Education, Yang Berhormat Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin officiated the Open Day and 2023 Convocation Expo of Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) at the Sports Complex Hall UMPSA Gambang Campus recently.

The programme succeeded in driving the agenda of empowering students when students were able to be independent and move on their own with the least supervision or support throughout the programme.

The programme saw more than 80 student associations and student residents exhibiting their activities.

He was also present at Forum Bicara Madani: Mahasiswa Tonggak Negara Madani which was moderated by the student leader, Agha Khilfi Suarno, the President of Students’ Representative Council (MPP).

Also present were the Deputy Secretary General (Policy), Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Dato’ Dr. Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Supian, Director General of Higher Education, Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman, Chairman of the UMPSA Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, UMPSA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Rusllim Mohamed and the Director of the 2023 Convocation Expo, Arshada Nadia Abdullah.

According to Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled, the student empowerment agenda that MoHE is realising is not only focused on amending the law to conduct elections to elect student representatives, but it also involves giving them autonomy to generate income and manage beneficial activities for other friends.

“This agenda also includes efforts to improve quality, collaboration networking with industry, safety and well-being on campus and graduate employability in enabling students to strengthen their maturity,” he said in front of 2,000 students present.

He also urged UMPSA students to support the six principles that makeup Malaysia MADANI so that society can rise again and be able to become a mature country, a country whose society is full of superior values and characterised by well-being that crosses all backgrounds and differences.

Meanwhile, Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie said this programme focused on holistic student development, thus becoming an important concept and a big mandate for every university to enable students in association management.

“In addition, organising this activity allows them to hone their ideas and creativity,” he said.

At the same time, continuous support is always offered by the university, especially from the Student Affairs and Alumni Department (JHEPA) to ensure that they stick to their manners and moulds towards contributing to the development of the nation.

UMPSA through Akademi Adab has also introduced the concept of student image and identity development called the A.D.A.B. Development Model (Attitude, Dynamic, Agile and Balance) in accordance with the current needs to produce a moral person who is balanced physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually.

In addition, the university always acts as an agent of change to enable the potential of students to be galvanised and empowered such as supporting them to plan to implement high-impact programmes according to the current situation and local community as well as in line with the aspirations of  MoHE and the goals of the university.

There was also the launch of MySiswa which is an entrepreneurship programme as MoHE’s initiative to provide an ecosystem that helps students in daily life by obtaining more cost-saving goods and services.

Other activities held were the handover of the offer letters of SULUNG 2.0 scholarship and the Launch of the UMPSA Palestine Solidarity Fund with a donation of RM30,000 from UMPSA Advanced, Yayasan UMP and UMP Holdings (UMPH).

By: Mimi Rabita Haji Abd Wahit, Centre for Corporate Communications
Translation by: Dr.  Rozaimi  Abu  Samah, Faculty   of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology