The recent announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister of a Blueprint for Higher Education 2015 -2025 is an exciting start as we prepare for the new year. The announcement is certainly welcoming as we painfully etch the memories of 2014 particularly of MH 370 and MH 17 into Malaysia’s colourful history. The blueprint which centres on 10 shifts will jive well with MSU’s role in the development of higher education in Malaysia and its aspiration to be the Global University of Choice.
Come January 24th,  another over a thousand graduates will receive their scrolls from Her Majesty the Chancellor during the 16th MSU Convocation. Another chapter to these graduates will begin as  they enthusiastically join the workforce. My wish to this group is that they continue to have a strong conviction on the spirit of excellence for as long as they could. I am proud and pleased with their achievements and I am sure the feeling is mutual among all parents and love ones as well.
The construction of the MSU Hospital and students’ residence began sometime this year and we will see work activities on the structure continue throughout 2015 till 2016. This 3rd phase development work of the MSU campus is the last in our expansion plan of the Shah Alam campus. When completed it will certify MSU as the first private university in Malaysia to have its own teaching hospital. Certainly this is another milestone in the three decades of our growth, and we are optimistic that this infrastructure project  would help us play a bigger role in the development of education in the region.
Several other refurbishments and beautification work have also begun in the campus in our effort to ensure students comfort and wellbeing. The University Plaza area will embrace a new look with its environmental friendly features and colours. Discussions are also underway with the local authorities on beautification work along the MSU stretch of the Damansara River. I anticipate that the beautification of that stretch will spark further environmental interest in protecting our river among students and staff.
2015 will also see the introduction of several new areas of studies in-line with the University’s aspirations of offering relevant and critical programmes. The students personal enrichment competency activities will also be enhanced as we prepare our graduates for the human capital market.
In tandem with our international efforts to be the Global University of Choice, collaboration activities with several international partners will enter a new dimension. More opportunities will be created for the mobility of students and staff as we engaged ourselves at the international level.
As a major player in the national education landscape, MSU is optimistic that the higher education blueprint put forward by the government to improve the quality of higher education in the country in the next 10 years is a good platform for us to move on.