PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Ir. (Dr.) Abdul Rahim Hashim has been appointed the new vice-chancellor of the University of Malaya (UM), effective from Nov 1 up to Oct 31, 2020, a statement from the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) said today.
The appointment is based on his expertise, knowledge, experience and various achievements attained during his tenure as the vice-chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and previous posts at the national and international levels.
Abdul Rahim was a graduate in Electronics and Electrical Engineering in 1976 and a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom in 2006. He completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard Business School in the United States in 1997.
His career kicked off when he joined Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) as a professional engineer in 1976.
During his time in the national oil and gas company, he served as the Vice President of Research & Technology Division, Vice President of Gas Business and the the Vice President of Human Resource Management. He was also the chief executive officer of Petronas Penapisan Melaka.
Abdul Rahim is a commissioner of the Energy Commission and a member of the National Science and Research Council. At the international level, he serves as the president of the Asia Pacific Natural Gas Vehicle Association (ANGVA) as well as the president of the International Gas Union (IGU).
From 2012, as vice-chancellor of UTP, Abdul Rahim has proven his leadership in the academics, corporate administration and financial management which is seen in the many successes of the university.
MOHE is optimistic that by appointing Abdul Rahim as the UM vice-chancellor, he will to contribute towards the continuous excellence of the university in the fields of research, teaching and learning as well as community empowerment - achieving the desire to place UM in the world's top 100 universities.
"MOHE wishes to record the highest appreciation to Tan Sri Professor Mohd Amin Jalaludin, former UM vice-chancellor for his service and his leadership throughout his tenure in the post between Nov 2013 to Apr 2017. Under his leadership, UM has achieved global excellence in various indicators and areas.
"The ministry also thanks Datuk Professor Dr. Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud, deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International) who has been in charge of the role of UM vice-chancellor from May to Oct 2017 for his commitment, contributions and leadership."