SINTOK, 3 August 2026: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), through the School of Government (SoG), will introduce the Master of Public Policy programme to strengthen the competencies of policy-makers and policy implementers through an evidence-based, data-driven approach and strategic solutions.
UUM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Martadha Mohamed said that the programme is designed to produce public sector leaders who are knowledgeable, uphold integrity, and are capable of addressing the challenges of governance in an increasingly complex and dynamic administrative environment.
According to him, the programme is specifically tailored to strengthen the competencies of civil servants, particularly policy-makers and policy implementers, enabling them to formulate, implement and evaluate public policies in a more strategic, inclusive, holistic, evidence-based and data-driven manner.
SoG has, through its Master of Public Management (MPM) programme, which has been offered for over two decades, has produced over 1,000 alumni who are now serving in various ministries, departments, government agencies, local authorities and statutory bodies.
“We want SoG to be empowered as the country’s leading reference centre in the field of public policy and public service transformation,” he said while delivering his welcome speech at the ILTIZAM 2026 Convention held at the Mu’adzam Shah Hall, today.
Meanwhile, UUM continues to strengthen its role as the Government’s strategic partner in advancing public sector reform by showcasing its expertise in research, policy development and human capital at the ILTIZAM 2026 Convention, which brought together over 1,200 participants from across the country.
Prof. Dr. Ahmad Martadha said that the trust placed in UUM as a strategic partner in organising the convention reflects recognition of the University’s strengths in the fields of management, public administration and policy development.
According to him, the convention theme, which focuses on efficiency, intelligence, accountability and public service transformation, is closely aligned with the country’s aspiration to build a public sector that is agile, responsive to the needs of the people and founded on integrity.
“Today’s public service requires a transformational leap that is not only driven by speed of action, but is also underpinned by sound governance and high accountability.
“As the country’s leading management university, UUM is always ready to be the backbone of the public service empowerment agenda through research, education and leadership development,” he said.
He said that UUM possesses extensive expertise in the fields of accounting, Islamic banking, public management, finance, law, transportation and logistics, and continuously enhances these strengths to produce graduates and academic programmes that meet the country’s evolving needs.
According to him, UUM researchers also contribute directly to the Government’s transformation agenda through various high-impact studies, including the development of the HEMA Index in collaboration with the Public Service Department (JPA), a data analytics framework for Continuous Audit with the Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia, the development of a holistic public sector sustainability investment framework, a local authority workload audit and an assessment of the competency and leadership of the Royal Malaysia Police.
He said the findings of these studies not only strengthen the Government’s service delivery system but also serve as valuable references for governance, risk management, public sector innovation and policy reform across various ministries and agencies.
“From the perspective of academic publications, UUM researchers continue to contribute to the knowledge development through books and scholarly articles on public sector human resource transformation, governance enhancement, governance practices, smart cities and community participation in local administration,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Ahmad Martadha also reaffirmed UUM’s commitment to strengthening public sector human capital development through the provision of flexible postgraduate programmes at both the Sintok Campus and UUM Kuala Lumpur Campus (UUMKL), thus enabling civil servants to further their academic qualifications without compromising their professional responsibilities.
According to him, close collaboration between universities and the public sector will continue to be strengthened to ensure that research, innovation and academic expertise are translated into practical solutions that directly contribute to national development and the well-being of the people.
He expressed hope that the ILTIZAM 2026 Convention would serve as a platform for knowledge dissemination, the sharing of best practices and the catalyst for a meaningful paradigm shift in the country’s public service.
Also present were Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar; Director-General of the Public Service, Tan Sri Dr. Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz; Secretary-General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Datuk Ts. Dr. Aminuddin Hassim; Secretaries-General of ministries; Chairman of the UUM Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dr. Mazlan Yusoff; vice-chancellors and rectors of Malaysian public and private universities; as well as senior officials from ministries, UUM and related agencies.
