In late January 2026, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) hosted its annual Vice-Chancellor’s Address and Mandate for 2026, under the theme “Continuity of True North: Soaring to the Peak.” This key leadership message, delivered by YBhg. Dato’ Prof. Ir. Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, set out UPM’s strategic direction for the year ahead and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to excellence, integrity, and digital transformation.

Strategic Vision and the True North Agenda

The Vice-Chancellor opened his mandate by emphasizing that UPM’s success in 2026 cannot be realized by individuals alone; it requires collective effort and shared purpose. He reiterated that True North – UPM’s overarching strategic framework – provides a unified direction for all faculties, centres, and administrative units to consciously move towards common priorities.

A central pillar of this strategic journey is the strengthening of digital capabilities and ICT-enabled services across the university. The Vice-Chancellor stressed that digital transformation is no longer optional, but essential, for UPM to remain competitive and responsive in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.

Digital Culture and ICT Empowerment

Aligned with the True North agenda, UPM is promoting a digital culture initiative that enhances ICT adoption in academic and administrative processes. ICT is positioned not just as a support service but as an enabler of the university’s mission to deliver high-quality education, research, and community engagement. This includes:

• Expanding digital infrastructure reliability and accessibility.

• Enabling secure, efficient digital services for students and staff.

• Encouraging the adoption of data-driven decision-making in university operations.

Enhancing ICT Services for the Campus Community

In support of this mandate, units such as the InfoComm Development Centre (iDEC) continue to elevate ICT support and service delivery for the UPM community. iDEC plays a critical role in providing digital infrastructure, application support, strategic ICT planning, and innovation ecosystems that underpin campus operations.

Key ICT service enhancements under the 2026 direction include:

• Streamlining ICT support channels and service response times.

• Improving collaboration tools that connect students, researchers, and administrative units.

• Encouraging mobile and cloud-based solutions to improve flexibility and access.

ICT as an Enabler for Institutional Excellence

The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that investing in digital readiness is necessary not only for operational efficiency but also for UPM’s aspirations to excel at national and global levels. This involves:

• Strengthening cybersecurity and data governance across systems.

• Prioritizing digital skills development among students and staff.

• Incorporating digital transformation narratives into strategic research and innovation agendas.

This approach aligns with broader Malaysian higher education priorities and the national drive towards a knowledge-based, technology-enabled economy.

Conclusion: A Future-Ready UPM

In closing his mandate, the Vice-Chancellor urged the entire UPM community to embrace the digital mindset and work collaboratively to implement ICT initiatives that support holistic institutional goals. He made it clear that digital transformation is not an isolated objective but is woven into UPM’s vision for academic excellence, operational efficiency, and relevance in a dynamic global environment.

Date of Input: 30/01/2026 | Updated: 28/02/2026 | zuraya