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P
eople
:
social
inclusion
,
green
jobs
,
education
USM delivering as one: Satu USM or 1 USM
In his speech to the university community in January 2012, the
new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Omar Osman, reinforced
the university’s determination to stay the sustainability course
and deliver on all its promises. Emphasizing USM’s triple status
as one of 20 government universities guided by the National
Higher Education Strategic Plan (Pelan Strategik Pengajian Tinggi
Negara, PSPTN),
9
one of four recognized Research Universities
(RUs) within the plan, and the sole university recipient of an
APEX award, he said a unified approach would have a much better
chance of success than anything that could be achieved by a single
person or within a single discipline.
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Institutions must become
more interdisciplinary to remain relevant in a world where globali-
zation and internationalization are speedily changing the higher
educational landscape. USM must remain traditional enough to
compete in the ‘red ocean’ environment of the present, while also
becoming innovative enough to sail into the ‘blue ocean’ space of
tomorrow.
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The concept of USM delivering as one or ‘1 USM’ parallels the
national slogan of ‘1 Malaysia,’ designed to inspire the nation to
unite in achieving its Vision 2020, which can be seen on the Office
of the Prime Minister’s official website. 1 USM is a vital unifying
concept because it will help us reach the goals relating to each aspect
of our identity as a PSPTN, RU and APEX university and, as a result,
will enable us to realize our new vision under APEX of ‘transforming
higher education for a sustainable tomorrow.’
The three facets operating interactively, represent the higher
educational transformation achieved through outstanding teach-
ing under PSPTN, state of the art research under RU and holistic
sustainability within the APEX focus, alongside each sector
providing mutual reinforcement to the others. Relationships
Colour 3
Colour 4
Colour 2
Colour 1
APEX
BOS-led Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainability-led University of World-class Standing
BOS-led Research
BOS-led
Curricular Activities
PSPTN
RU
Research Par Excellence
Graduates with First Class Skills and Mentality
Curriculum Reorientation
for Sustainability
Future Sustainability
Practitioners
Sustainability
Flagships
Innovative Research
for Sustainability
Future Researchers with
Sustainability Background
Data, Information
and Knowledge
Transforming
Higher Education
for a Sustainable
Tomorrow
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Transforming higher education for a sustainable tomorrow
Source: Universiti Sains Malaysia
Cooperation and Working Together. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dato’ Omar
Osman’s annual address to the USM Community, 5 January 2012
Image: Universiti Sains Malaysia