By: Azman Zakaria
Photo by: Noor Azreen Awang
SERDANG, Jan 16: Universities, especially Research Universities should come out with innovative ideas by doing income-generating activities to sustain the employment of their international academics and researchers, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Setia Dato’ Dr. Aini Ideris said.
She said the employment of talented postgraduate students at Malaysian universities was widely practised in many Malaysian Research universities in the past, but such internationalisation through the physical mobility of academics to Malaysia could not be sustained.
As such, she said, universities should have innovative ideas in creating and implementing income-generating activities to sustain the employment of international academics and researchers.
“Many Malaysian universities, particularly research universities are facing resource constraints, which has led to the reassessment of priorities within the universities,” she said at the opening of the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF) International Academics in Malaysia Forum, here.
The forum themed “International Academics in Malaysian Universities: Boon or Bane?”
It was organised by the National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in collaboration with the Malaysian Society for Higher Education Policy and Research Development (PenDaPat), and UPM.
The panellists were Professor Emeritus Abd Rashid Morten from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Professor Nasir Shafiq (Universiti Teknologi Petronas), Dr Wan Chang Da (IPPTN, USM), and Prof. Dr. Jeniffer Ann Harikrishna (Universiti Malaya).
Prof. Datin Paduka Setia Dato’ Dr. Aini said UPM has allocated a specific budget to appoint international academics, especially in critical fields, while the availability of international research grants and industry endowment also attracts prominent international academics to work with the university.
“Every year we set targets to recruit or get prominent international lecturers and academics that are specialists in various research areas and are aligned with the requirements and needs of faculties and research institutes in UPM.
“We believe that international academics can definitely contribute to the internationalisation of our research excellence, and extend our global network and reputation,” she said.
Meanwhile, CTET, IPPTN director, Professor Dato’ Dr Morshidi Sirat said among the objectives of the forum was to identify current and emerging issues pertaining to the recruitment and retention of international academics from developing countries of the Commonwealth in Malaysia. – UPM
