Nod for purpose-driven edu

Celebrating excellence: Prof Mushtak (fourth from left) receiving the awards from Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn. Looking on are KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific president Tan Sri Michael Yeoh (far left), deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Rawther (centre) and Napei deputy president Lau Wai Cheng.

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) was awarded the “Outstanding University Excellence Award” while its provost and chief executive officer Prof Mushtak Al-Atabi was the recipient of the “Educational Icon Leadership Award” at the annual National Education and Learning Summit 2023.

Organised by the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific in collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (Mapcu) and the National Association of Private Educational Institutions (Napei) Malaysia, the summit, which aimed to foster collaboration among educators, service providers, policymakers, and experts, provided educators with a platform to engage in debates about the nation’s current state of education.

Held on July 13 in Kuala Lumpur, the event themed “Future-Ready Education for a Future-Capable Society” spotlighted Malaysia’s readiness for an adaptive education ecosystem that embraces rapid changes in a digitising world and an increasingly competitive environment.

Prof Mushtak, in his acceptance speech, said the awards were a testament to HWUM’s impact on the country’s educational landscape, pioneering purpose-driven education.

“We put our community of students, staff and alumni at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to continuing to push the university to greater heights,” Prof Mushtak, who is also the Vice-Chancellors’ Council for Private Universities (VCCPU) chairman and a panellist at the summit’s “Vice-Chancellor Roundtable: Higher Education Post GE15” session, said in a press release.