The Leadership Acceleration Program 2021 or ACCER2021 with the theme ‘Accelerate Holistic Future Leaders’ is a structured 3-month program that combines strategies (ahead thinking), operations (teamwork) and interpersonal abilities to enhance the readiness of non-mature level leaders.

ACCER2021 was initiated by UTMLead and led by Assoc Prof. Sr. Ts. Dr. Noorsidi Aizuddin Mat Noor together with 17 other task force members (Figure 1).

Based on the main spirit of exploring Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s leadership best practices, ACCER2021 is a continuous effort to ensure that selected talent pools from each faculty at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) are given enough exposure to explore leadership development and opportunities.

The 15 leadership competencies are based on the AKEPT framework. Leadership, Impact and Influence, Achievement and Action, Personal Effectiveness and Cognition are the five core cluster competencies covered.

The selected young lecturers (called ‘buddies’) are of the age of 40 years old and below, and are participating in activities that will result in holistic leadership development of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) and Adversity Quotient (AQ), coupled with UTM DNA identity that celebrates the core values of the university, to equip them to overcome leadership challenges and issues.

Several knowledge-sharing webinars have been organized by the buddies involving a panel of local and international speakers from various backgrounds, including the industry, who are leaders in their profession.

ACCER2021 brought together 25 buddies of both UTM Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur campuses, supported by 10 mentors who are experienced lecturers in academic leadership. Using pre-determined selection instruments (Figure 2) as a guide, the buddies were divided into five groups, consisting of members from different faculties.

Each group has been assigned a task based on the UTM’s The Big (#5) Things (Figure 3), that are the main priority of the university under the leadership of its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Ts. Dr. Ahmad Fauzi Ismail.

The buddies were required to explore and to enhance The Big (#5) Things. The outcomes of this leadership training will be expressed in a systematic and holistic manner through creative proposals produced by each group of buddies. For more information on ACCER2021, visit https://utmlead.utm.my/accer2021/.