JOHOR BAHRU, 5 January 2014 – The year 2015 requires all Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) staff to strive further in order to remain relevant and competitive.
UTM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ir. Datuk Dr. Wahid Omar in his New Year Address, said that in ensuring the successful implementation of 2015 initiatives, every UTM staff needs to have a sense of Trustworthiness, Innovation, and Wisdom.
Prof Wahid in his speech stressed that trustworthiness is reflected in the form of accountability, striving for the best, as well as being committed, enthusiastic and dedicated.
“Staff should also have a sense of integrity and obligation towards leaders, as well as be responsible, reliable and dependable,” he said.
Besides upholding trust, UTM staff should also be innovative, which Prof. Wahid describes as someone who subscribes to unconventional, unprecedented, original, groundbreaking, state of art and diverse ideas. “An innovative person should also be extraordinary, unique, entrepreneurial and has an ability to create or enhance values,” said Prof. Wahid.
Besides trustworthiness and innovation, Prof. Wahid also placed wisdom as another main thrust for UTM.
“Wisdom entails being balanced, judicious, conscientious, just, knowledgeable, perceptive, respectful, intelligent, and understanding. The person should also be imbued with ‘soul’, and ‘adab’, and be able to inspire and empower through engagement,” he said.
Prof. Wahid later launched his New Year Address book entitled ‘Menerajui Inovasi Ke Arah Kemakmuran Sejagat’.

Also at the New Year address, held at Dewan Sultan Iskandar, Johor Bahru campus, were Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic and Internationalization, Prof. Dr. Rose Alinda Alias, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation, Prof. Ir Dr. Azraai Kassim, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Development, Prof. Dr. Azlan Abdul Rahman and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs and Alumni, Prof. Dr. Ismail Abd. Aziz.