Kuala Lumpur, 30 November 2022 – Professor Dr Kamila Ghazali is the Vice-Chancellor of the International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW).
Kamila took up the post in January 2022 after three years as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) at Universiti Malaya (UM). She brings over 20 years of experience in senior and management roles, having held various positions at UM at national and international levels, including the Deputy Dean of the Institute of Graduate Studies and Associate Vice-Chancellor (International).
This year has seen significant developments for IUMW under Kamila’s leadership, including the announcement of a new organisation mission statement to ‘develop an advanced digital community of holistic changemakers’, as well as a new vision, and core values.
“The new direction falls in line with IUMW’s milestone 10th Anniversary in 2023, and marks a new direction for us as a university, building on past achievements and evolving as an institution”, Kamila explains.
“Ultimately, we strive to not only give our students knowledge in their own discipline, but we also want to imbue in them values that will carry them through in life; to be socially responsible, inclusive and culturally aware. Employability skills, such as teamwork, resilience, commercial awareness, and adaptability are also a priority.”
Kamila explains the renewed commitment to bringing the University to a wider global platform. In an increasingly competitive market, IUMW will continue to focus on global outreach and maintaining and expanding international networks. Just this year, the University has cemented partnerships with institutions in Indonesia and Japan, with a further 2 partnerships in the pipeline in France and the United Arab Emirates.
The Vice-Chancellor believes international exposure is crucial in education as it gives students a much wider worldview. “Students join IUMW because of our history, the quality of our programmes, and the broad opportunities available to them. They benefit from global learning opportunities that set them apart when they enter the workforce. These opportunities build their confidence and enthusiasm, and enhance personal and intellectual maturity”. “In today’s working environment, an international perspective is important, as is the ability to work with others from different cultures and backgrounds. Those who can work in a global workforce and lead a diverse team will be in demand as more and more companies, particularly post-pandemic, are forming teams stretching across different continents”, she added.
Kamila also led the University in its digital transformation, establishing 6 new Open and Distance Learning programmes this year, as well as short courses and micro-credentials. “These days, students are looking for universities with robust digital capabilities. Post-pandemic, people want an academic experience that is both flexible and personalised, without compromising on value. Our programmes are designed to better meet the needs of students, including non-traditional learners.” Kamila also continues to work strategically with the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), IUMW’s partner institution. The partnership means students graduate with a Dual Award degree from both IUMW and UWTSD. Both institutions work closely together to ensure the curriculum and teaching delivery meet the high standards required in Malaysia and the UK. She aims to further drive transnational education, research and impact opportunities with their UK partner. Her academic expertise includes critical discourse analysis and sociolinguistics with research on political discourse, media discourse, and ethnolinguistics, where she delved into the language and culture of indigenous communities.
