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UUM ONLINE: In its bid to move towards the era of digitization, UUM continues to expand its wings to explore the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) while still continuing to remain as a Management University.

"After 36 years of its establishment, it is time for the university to diversify. The university was established as a management university, it is still a Management University but it is in a new mould that is more competitive.

“As UUM moves towards the field of STEM, many people are worried and wonder if the Management University will change. I would like to emphasize here, that UUM’s forte is still management but it will move in a new form, "said the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dato' Dr. Ahmad Bashawir Abdul Ghani at the Centre for STEM Studies Workshop held at the SOC Executive Meeting Room, recently.

The workshop was held to discuss UUM's intention of establishing a Centre for STEM Studies as proposed by His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, the Sultan of Kedah.

The Vice-Chancellor who concurred with the proposal made by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Kedah said that he would look into the setting up of the Centre for STEM Studies seriously as UUM had a total of 400 staff in the field and the university need not hire new staff to implement it.

He said this when he shared his aspiration of establishing the UUM Centre for STEM Studies which was expected to be realized this year in the Phase 3 of the UUM Strategic Plan (2021-2025).

According to him, one of the agendas of the Phase 3 of the UUM Strategic Plan was the establishment of the Centre for STEM Studies in order to further drive the ranking and rating agenda of the University to ensure UUM will be amongst the world's best universities aged 50 years and below.

He said, to realize the aspiration, the School of Computing (SOC) will carry the STEM agenda through and mobilize the campus denizens.

"The future industry is centred on technology, it is time to make the Centre for STEM Studies become a reality for the purpose of ranking, rating and attracting international students and excellent students as well as garnering the cooperation of the industry.

"Therefore, UUM must explore new fields, dare to change and we have talents. We need to polish our talents in order to produce amazing staff who will ultimately become champions," he said.

He also reiterated that today, education has become a commodity and if UUM cannot produce new products, the university will definitely be left behind.