KOTA SAMARAHAN: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming higher education through institutional sustainability, regional development, and alignment with national priorities.
The university welcomed critical discourse raised in an article titled “The Ivory Tower’s Silent Crisis: Why Malaysian universities must learn to learn,” which highlighted concerns over systemic challenges in public universities.
However, UNIMAS emphasised that broad and generalised portrayals of Malaysian public universities do not fully reflect the diverse roles, contexts, and missions of higher education institutions nationwide.
“Universities should not be measured solely by numbers, rankings, or league tables,” said UNIMAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit in a press statement today (Dec 30).
“Their true value lies in shaping ethical individuals and solving real societal problems,” he said.
He added that at UNIMAS, learning is viewed as a living process, requiring continuous reflection, reassessment, and improvement to ensure sustainable and meaningful futures for communities and the nation.
According to Ahmad Hata, UNIMAS consistently upholds academic traditions rooted in critical discourse, self-reflection, and intellectual courage as drivers of institutional progress and resilience.
He noted that overly general assessments often overlook the complex realities faced by universities, particularly those anchored in regional development and community-based impact.
“As a regionally focused university, UNIMAS places human, community, and environmental impact at the core of its mission, while rankings and key performance indicators serve as strategic navigation tools.
“In safeguarding academic integrity, UNIMAS adopts a systemic governance approach through strengthened research ethics committees, transparent integrity policies, and clear separation between administration and academic evaluation,” he said.
Research ecosystem challenges, he said, are addressed institutionally to ensure the collective efforts of dedicated academics are not undermined by unbalanced or singular narratives.
Aligned with the UNIMAS Strategic Plan 2026-2030, the university reinforces its People-Centered University concept through reflective governance and evidence-based decision-making processes.
“This approach is implemented through living lab initiatives that actively involve stakeholders, communities, and industries, bridging gaps between academic theory and real-world application.
“UNIMAS also applies lean management principles by granting structured autonomy to responsibility centres, enhancing operational efficiency while promoting shared use of expertise and campus resources,” he said.
As a higher education pillar in Borneo, UNIMAS plays a vital role in advancing regional and national development through relevant curricula and niche research in biodiversity and sustainability.
Its strengths also include community transformation, information technology, and community health, producing competent graduates while offering innovative solutions to national socio-economic challenges.
“These contributions position UNIMAS not merely as a knowledge producer, but as a meaningful change agent serving society and strengthening Malaysia’s development agenda.
“We believe institutional maturity is reflected in leadership’s ability to balance stakeholder needs without compromising core academic values, guided by empathy, trust, and accountability.
“Rejecting claims that public universities have lost direction, UNIMAS maintains institutions are evolving to balance government, industry, and global demands while preserving intellectual integrity.
“While welcoming constructive criticism as a catalyst for improvement, UNIMAS stresses that building resilient institutions requires time, consistency, and sustained commitment in an increasingly complex global landscape,” he said.
