2025 A Year Of Excellence In Academics, Research, Innovation For UTM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- 2025 has been a great year for Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) as it distinguished itself not only in the academic and research fields but also in sustainable solutions and innovations that will bring about greater prosperity.

UTM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim listed the university’s major achievements, including its graduates’ 100 per cent marketability and employment rate, as well as a 21.6 per cent premium salary rate.

“Our graduates continue to prove that a UTM education produces individuals who are ready to contribute to the nation and the world.

“An even better achievement would be that two of our alumni have been listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, further strengthening UTM’s reputation as a breeding ground for creative and competitive global technocrats,” he said in a statement today.

At the international level, he said UTM’s position in the QS World University Rankings increased significantly from 188 in 2024 and 181 (2025) to 153 (2026), placing UTM among the top 10 per cent of universities in the world.

Mohd Shafry said the improvement was the result of strengthened academic reputation, increased research output, and a growing intake of international students, supported by teamwork among the university community and industry partners.

He said UTM has also strengthened its Translational Research agenda, namely research that is embedded in the realities of society.

Through spin-off products and research, Mohd Shafry said UTM has produced various innovations such as DERMAGs Skin Solution, Natural Kiss, IHBS, iBreath, Oil2Wang, ROV Pleco, Inspecto and JAGA Drone, which not only bring the university closer to the community but also build a sustainable innovation ecosystem.

In efforts to produce well-balanced graduates, UTM has strengthened character development and student competencies through learning that is more global, authentic and grounded in values of ethics and civility.

“UTM graduate attributes - global thinking, constructive citizenship, innovative talent, an entrepreneurial mindset, scholarship and a sense of responsibility - are translated into the curriculum, industrial training, international mobility and community programmes,” he said.

Mohd Shafry said this year also sees UTM continuing to be a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) through the Faculty of AI and various initiatives such as the Malaysia AI Consortium (MAIC), collaborations with Huawei, Alibaba and Zhejiang University, the development of AI programme standards approved by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), as well as AI talent development programmes for industry and the public sector.

Looking ahead, he said the university, through UTM ASCEND 2030, will strive to increase its global impact through four main pillars: excellence leap, global talent, sustainability and resilience, as well as humanity and well-being.

Among the major targets set are achieving the Top 100 QS ranking, 300,000 lifelong learners, a 30 per cent reduction in carbon footprint, and 70 research projects that have a direct impact on community well-being.

-- BERNAMA