International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Quality Day 2009

Bismillahir rahmanir rahim

Assalammualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and a very good morning.

Honorable Professor Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed Arabi Idid, Rector of IIUM

Honorable Professor Dato’ Dr. Mohd Azmi Omar
Chairman of IIUM Quality Day 2009 and Dean, Office of Corporate Strategy and Quality Assurance

Executive Directors

Deans, Directors, Award Winners

Staff of IIUM

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is both my privilege and pleasure to be here today for the first time in my capacity as the President of the International Islamic University Malaysia to officiate the Quality Day event in order to recognise the 2008 achievements of our University’s officials and agencies.

2. This is a poignant event for this Institution. It is a day that rewards merits. A day which sends a simple message that, excellence and hard work matters. It matters for growth, competitiveness and being relevant. Significant and considerable achievements by IIUM staff and agencies in our academic and administrative tenure will reap the fruits to our sow of hard work and determination, today.

Ladies and gentlemen,

3. If IIUM is to compete, not just amongst its twenty public institution peers in Malaysia, but more importantly globally, IIUM must set standards that surpass our current abilities. We must dream the impossible to break new grounds, novel boundaries. We must go beyond the mindset of “There is no use trying; one can’t believe impossible things” to “believing in as many as six impossible things before breakfast” (A quote from Alice in Wonderland). It is our collective dreams of dreaming and achieving the impossible that can raise this Institution to global recognition and standing. And, in this context our university must work on being rated by others, and internationally. The role of higher institutions such as IIUM cannot be overemphasized, overstated. These are the grounds within which we build, nurture and grow the next Malaysia; our FUTURE. In the case of IIUM, this is the ground within which we build the next generation of Muslim youths who can make an impactful difference in this world.

4. Since its establishment in 1983, IIUM has traditionally focused on undergraduate rather than postgraduate programmes. We could, of course, continue in the same fashion and maintain our focus on undergraduate programmes and be very good at it. But this is limiting our full potential. We cannot build a commendable generation just based on undergraduate programmes. Research and postgraduate programmes, not only provides IIUM the capacity to grow as a higher education institution, but also presents an invaluable opportunity to groom a wider range of human capital to face the varying global challenges. The quality of Research and Postgraduate programmes will without a doubt add to the brand currency of IIUM globally.

5. Quality and excellence are elements derived from a culture. Culture cannot be taught as a subject. Culture is cultivated at all levels of how we do business in IIUM. How we select lecturers with best teaching skills, grade students who are proactive and engaging, reward innovation and creativity in classrooms and how we encourage inquisitive students are some of the result areas of how a culture is built. If EXCELLENCE, QUALITY and PRECISION are the determinants to this CULTURE, then those are the OUTCOMES of what we expect from our staff and our graduates. The parameters that we set for what makes our CULTURE defines the society we leave behind for our children and grandchildren.

6. Ultimately, the goal of this institution is to see that every student who walked through the gates of IIUM on the day of recruitment, will leave here with many an opportunity waiting at gates of the real world. They must be people raving to contribute for betterment of their countries and societies; from any walk of like, any walk of industry and any walk of expertise. Thus it is our duty as an institution of higher learning to equip these graduates with skill sets, not simply to make it, but to make it successfully in the worlds that they each may face. This outcome can only be achieved through a culture built on EXCELLENCE today, imbued in all aspects on what we do in IIUM.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

7. That is what a Quality Day in IIUM should mean to us. Our mission is to develop and nurture vanguards who will lead their nations to success.

8. Malaysia is entering an exciting new era of educational transformation, where track record of educational excellence alone will not “cut it” in the real world. Our graduates must go beyond the excellent grades to having insightful understanding of the world in the broadest sense of the word. We must develop creative, critical, futuristic young individuals who abide to unyielding ethics and integrity in all that they do. As Educators we must support and advance revolutionary intellectuals in all fields of study. In short, IIUM must create all rounders able to take on any role, debate any subject matter, and when placed in any situation come out of it all with their integrity intact and success in their grips.

9. Given also that IIUM is a proponent of an Islamic higher Institution, with 20% of students from overseas and a large number of our academicians from various Muslim countries around the world, we hold a unique proposition to deliver our mission based on the values and aqidah of Islam embedded in all of our courses and programmes.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

10. It is my hope that each day, every day will be a Quality Day for IIUM such that we achieve shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that will propel this Institution, its constituents and its alumini to remarkable heights of achievement for humanity and societies which we may each touch in our unique journeys as people.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all winners either agencies or staff.

Thank you.