KUCHING: The newly appointed vice chancellor of i-CATS University College, Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi, has pledged to elevate the institution to new heights, including achieving its goal of becoming a full-fledged university by 2026.
He said i-CATS will continue to play a vital role in producing highly skilled graduates equipped to meet future technological needs, in line with its purpose as a technical university.
To this end, he outlined his commitment to revolutionise i-CATS with a clear and strategic vision, taking steps to strengthen the institution’s role as a leader in higher education in Sarawak.
“We plan to introduce new academic programmes aligned with advanced technologies such as hydrogen, bio-thermal, renewable energy and artificial intelligence.
“This initiative will support Sarawak’s development goals as outlined in the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.”
Prof Kadim said this during his first press conference after officially assuming the role as the second vice-chancellor of i-CATS University College here today (Dec 26).
At the same time, he also discussed the significant challenges faced by all higher education institutions in Sarawak ahead of the implementation of free higher education in 2026.
As a fully state-owned higher education institution, he said i-CATS is prepared to meet these challenges with adequate infrastructure, qualified teaching staff and robust academic programmes to support the initiative.
He also revealed the university’s target of increasing its student population to 3,000 within two years.
“The current student population is less than 2,000. With the cooperation of all stakeholders, we are confident of achieving this target.”