Prof. Dr Haslinda and Dr Mohamad Fitri Honoured at the 16th National Academic Awards
SUBANG JAYA, 24 October 2025: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) marked another proud milestone as two of its academic staff received recognition at the 16th National Academic Awards (Anugerah Akademik Negara, AAN), the university’s first win since 2018.
The two recipients were Prof. Dr Haslinda Ibrahim from the School of Quantitative Sciences (SQS), who received the Teaching Award for Pure Science Cluster, and Ts. Dr Mohamad Fitri Mohamad Haris from the School of Creative Industry Management and Performing Arts (SCIMPA), who was honoured with the Arts and Creativity Award (Performing Arts Cluster).
Each recipient was awarded a certificate of appreciation and a cash prize of RM50,000.
Prof. Dr Haslinda Ibrahim expressed her appreciation, noting that the award acknowledges her innovative approach to applying mathematical reasoning to foster creativity and innovation in mathematics among students.
She also emphasised that UUM remains steadfast in its commitment to the field of pure sciences, despite being widely recognised as a management university.
“I urge my esteemed colleagues to embrace boldness, foster innovation, and maintain persistence in their pursuit of excellence within their respective disciplines,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ts. Dr Mohamad Fitri also expressed his appreciation for the recognition he received.
According to him, the evaluation of the award encompassed various aspects of research as well as the interplay between creativity and the field of education.
He has dedicated nearly 23 years to the nasyeed industry and has also engaged in academic pursuits for 12 years. The integration of these two fields has served as akey factor contributing to his success.
“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to UUM and SCIMPA for the invaluable support and guidance they have provided throughout my journey as an academician,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dato’ Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan, together with the university’s top management, joined in celebrating the achievements of both lecturers.
Prof. Dato’ Dr Mohd Foad said that the recognition reflects the exceptional quality of teaching and learning at UUM, which consistently garners acknowledgement at the national level.
He further encouraged other lecturers to view this achievement as a source of inspiration, urging them to continue striving for academic recognition.
The awards ceremony was officiated by the Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, who represented the Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, at Dorsett Grand Hotel.
The National Academic Figure Award (Tokoh Akademik Negara) was awarded to Prof. Emeritus Datin Dr Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid, a distinguished scholar from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), who received a certificate and RM200,000 in cash.
The Teaching Award (Health Sciences Cluster) was presented to Dr Manraj Singh Cheema, while the Teaching Award (Applied Literature and Applied Social Sciences Cluster) was awarded to Dr Rahimah Jamaludin, both esteemed faculty members from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
The Journal Article Publication Award in the Science Category went to Assoc. Prof. Dr Gan Wee Chen from Xiamen University Malaysia, while the award for the Social Sciences and Humanity category was awarded to Assoc. Prof. Dr See Kok Fong from USM.
Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Dr Norhayati Mohd Noor was honoured with the Publication Award, and the Innovation and Product Commercialisation Award was preseented to Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Firdaus Akbar Jalaludin Khan from USM.
