| Universiti Putra Malaysia

REAPPOINTMENT OF HIS MAJESTY (DYMM) SULTAN SHARAFUDDIN IDRIS SHAH ALHAJ AS UPM CHANCELLOR

By:  Nurul Ezzaty Mohd Azhari

SHAH ALAM, June 2 - His Majesty (DYMM) Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah AlHaj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah AlHaj, was reappointed as the Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), effective from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2029.

Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), YH. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mohd Roslan Sulaiman handed over the appointment of DYMM Sultan of Selangor as UPM Chancellor by the Yang DiPertuan Agong at a meeting with the Sultan at Istana Bukit Kayangan, Shah Alam recently.

Also present were UPM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International), YBhg. Prof. Dr. Ismi Arif Ismail and UPM University Board Member (LPU), YDM Engku Panglima Setia Diraja Dato’ Syed Haizam Jamalullail.

Sultan Sharafuddin was first appointed as UPM Chancellor in 2002 and has since made meaningful contributions to UPM, especially in the context of championing the agriculture, research and alumni agendas.

Sultan Sharafuddin also officiated the Sultan Idris Shah Forestry Education Centre (SISFEC) situated at the Ayer Hitam Puchong Forest Reserve in 2012, which acts as a reference centre for education and development of tropical forest management best practices at the national and global levels.

In 1996, the Selangor State Government granted UPM the permission to manage and develop the 1,176.1 hectares of Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve to be a forest for education and forestry research and development for 80 years, i.e., until 2076.

In 2014, Sultan Sharafuddin officiated UPM Bintulu Campus, in Sarawak (UPMKB). UPMKB started as a branch campus, established at a temporary campus in Semenggok, Sarawak, in June 1974. On January 10, 1992, UPMKB was closed to make way for the establishment of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).

In February 2001, the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE), through a letter from the MOE Secretary-General, conveyed the consent of the then Y.B. Minister of Education Malaysia for UPM to re-mobilise its branch campus in Bintulu and start the 2001/2002 academic session with a focus on agriculture and forestry.

Tuanku Chancellor is also concerned with UPM’s direction and planning and expressed his support for the UPM Strategic Plan 2021-2025, launched in December 2021.

At the UPM 44th Convocation Ceremony, His Majesty urged UPM citizens, including graduates who would become alumni, to support the implementation of the strategic plan as it can strengthen UPM’s status as a tower of knowledge that drives excellence.

In conjunction with UPM's 50th anniversary, Tuanku mentioned UPM’s major achievements and significant developments towards national development, community well-being and the role it has played in spearheading the country's agricultural and food security agendas.

Dato' UPM Vice-Chancellor said the appointment of His Majesty the Chancellor would definitely strengthen UPM’s status as a leading university and help achieve its mission to contribute meaningfully towards the prosperity and development of the nation as well as the people’s well–being through the exploration and dissemination of knowledge.

"UPM's excellence in the field of agriculture is also very much emphasised by DYMM Tuanku Chancellor, and he hopes that UPM can become a leader and Development Reference Centre in agriculture," he said.

In the meeting, YH. Dato' UPM Vice-Chancellor also announced UPM’s latest developments and upcoming official events. - UPM

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