First female VC for UiTM

UNIVERSITI Teknologi Mara (UiTM) has appointed Prof Dr Roziah Janor as its first female vice-chancellor.

She was previously the varsity’s deputy vice-chancellor (academic and international) and has been the acting vice-chancellor since March 19, after Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Mohd Azraai Kassim, 63, retired as UiTM vice-chancellor on March 10.

In a Facebook post on Sept 3, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said Prof Roziah, 58, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from The State University of New York @ New Paltz New York, United States, and a master’s in the same field of study from West Virginia University, also in the US.

“She drove the 22 Globally Renowned University 2025 initiative, such as the merging of faculties into a college with 10 fields of studies, Education 5.0@UiTM and Global Learning.“She is also a member of the Malaysia Board of Technologists and has received various awards such as the UiTM Staff Excellence Award in 2017, 2013, 2009, 2008 and 2002, the UiTM Researcher of the Year 2007, and a bronze medal for the GPP Modified Socio Mobility Index: Quantifying Actual Development Impact from the Malaysian Association of Research Scientists.

“With the vision to make UiTM a mega university to provide opportunities for bumiputras to improve their living standards through higher education in all fields, I believe that Prof Roziah will be able to shoulder this responsibility and continue UiTM’s leadership excellence,” she said.

She thanked Prof Mohd Azraai for his services in leading UiTM for more than two years since 2019.