Kuala lumpur: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM): has appointed Prof Datin Dr Noor Hazlina Ahmad as the new deputy vice-chancellor (VC) for Academic and International Affairs (TNCAA), effective Aug 3, replacing Prof Datuk Gs Dr Narimah Samat, who has completed her term of service.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Noor Hazlina, who has extensive experience in entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership and organisational development, holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship from the University of Adelaide, Australia, as well as a Master's degree in Business Administration from USM and a Bachelor's degree in Humanities (Psychology) from the International Islamic University Malaysia.
"Before being appointed as TNCAA, she was the Dean of the USM School of Management since 2019 and led various strategic transformations that strengthened the institution's academic excellence, internationalisation and sustainability, including introducing the Master of Business Analytics programme in collaboration with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the Master of Professional Management in collaboration with the Malaysian Bar Council," according to the statement.
USM announced that Noor Hazlina has also established an exclusive collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to develop the digital leadership talents of the country's top students since 2022, in addition to leading various flexible learning initiatives such as offshore programmes, Open and Distance Learning (ODL), micro-credentials and stackable degrees, including the development of a micro-credential-based Bachelor of Management (Honours) degree in collaboration with QSR Brands and the exploration of an Artificial Intelligence Guided Management Master's programme.
At the international level, Noor Hazlina is currently the president of the Asian Academy of Management (AAM) for the 2025-2027 term and has strengthened academic networks involving universities and organisations in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East in the fields of research, talent development and academic mobility.
She also contributed to the development of the country's higher education through various strategic committees, including serving as the chairman of the Strategic Investment in Education Working Group under the National Education Reform Study led by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, as well as the development of the Malaysian Innovation Management Standards based on the ISO 56000 series.
According to USM, Noor Hazlina's appointment is expected to strengthen the university's academic agenda and internationalisation through the empowerment of educational innovation, expansion of global cooperation networks, enhancement of graduate employability, and solidifying USM's position as a leading higher education institution on the world stage.