First of all, let me thank the Chemical Bioprocess Engineering Student Society (BIOSS) for the kind invitation to the closing ceremony of its 5th International Biotechnology Competition and Exhibition (IBCEx 2019).

Let me begin by congratulating UTM for its recent improved international university rankings – as in January this year, it was the third among 11 Malaysian universities to be ranked in the Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University ranking 2019, with University of Malaya (UM) ranked No. 18, Universiti Teknology Petronas (UTP) ranked No. 60, and Universiti Technology Malaysia (UTM) ranked No. 86; while in the latest inaugural Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2019, it was third among eight Malaysian universities listed in the new university global ranking after USM and University of Malaya.

All Malaysians want want to see Malaysian universities to be ranked among the world’s top universities in the world, and I urge UTM and all Malaysian universities to continue to excel themselves in academic excellence to bring distinction to the country. Read the rest of this entry »