Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and operational excellence through its annual symposium. The Operational Excellence Symposium 2025 represents more than just an academic gathering—it’s a strategic initiative that transforms how Malaysia’s premier university approaches quality management and operational efficiency. Moreover, this year’s virtual format expanded accessibility while maintaining the program’s core mission of cultivating a culture of continuous improvement.
UiTM Strengthens Innovation Culture Through Operational Excellence Symposium 2025
Held online via the official YouTube channel of the Institute for Quality and Knowledge Advancement (InQKA), the symposium carried the compelling theme “Empowering Innovation, Transforming Operations”. This strategic focus underscored the critical importance of embedding innovation culture among university staff as the primary driver for operational transformation and more efficient service delivery. Furthermore, the virtual platform enabled broader participation across UiTM’s extensive network of campuses nationwide.
Eight Years of Driving Operational Transformation
Since its inception in 2017, this high-impact annual program has served as InQKA’s flagship initiative, perfectly aligned with UiTM’s aspirations to strengthen comprehensive operational management systems. Unlike typical academic conferences, this symposium functions as a strategic platform for sharing best practices, cultivating continuous improvement culture, and strengthening vital relationships between the university and industry partners.
The longevity and consistency of this program reflect UiTM’s serious commitment to implementing robust quality management frameworks that drive measurable improvements across all operational areas.
Leadership Vision for Sustained Excellence
The symposium commenced with welcoming remarks from Professor Dr. Haslinda Yusoff, Assistant Vice-Chancellor of InQKA, who passionately urged UiTM community members to continue serving as agents of change through innovation and enhanced work process effectiveness. Her opening address set the tone for a day focused on practical transformation rather than theoretical discussions.
The event was officially launched by Professor Datuk Dr. Shahrin Sahib@Sahibuddin, FASc, UiTM’s Vice-Chancellor, who emphasized that excellence culture must be comprehensively embraced and established as a core principle in every organizational action. On the flip side of traditional top-down approaches, his message stressed the importance of grassroots innovation initiatives.
Strategic Industry Partnerships in Action
Two distinguished industry leaders enriched the main sharing sessions with practical insights. Encik Hairul Mubarak Haji Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer of Victorious Step Sdn Bhd, presented “Unlocking Operational Excellence through Value Stream Mapping”, emphasizing the importance of value stream mapping as a strategic tool for identifying waste and enhancing process efficiency.
“Value stream mapping serves as a strategic tool for identifying waste and enhancing process efficiency across complex organizational structures.”
Meanwhile, Encik Nik Faizal Nik Ahmad, Senior Productivity Expert from EU-ERA The Future, shared insights on “Beyond Tools: Cultivating a Holistic Lean Ecosystem”, which explored the formation of sustainable work culture and long-term organizational development. His presentation highlighted how successful lean thinking methodologies require cultural transformation beyond mere tool implementation.
Celebrating Innovation Through Recognition
The symposium featured a montage presentation of finalists from the Operational Excellence Final Presentation (OE2024), serving as recognition for Responsibility Centers (PTj) that demonstrated exceptional commitment to work process improvement. This showcase reflected the teamwork spirit and creativity of UiTM staff in navigating daily operational challenges while maintaining high standards of excellence.
These recognition segments serve multiple purposes: they celebrate achievements, inspire others to pursue similar improvements, and document successful case studies for future reference. Additionally, they demonstrate the tangible results that emerge when innovation culture takes root within organizational structures.
Building Sustainable Excellence Culture
The ceremony concluded with closing remarks from Associate Professor Ts. Dr.-Ing Shahrul Azam Abdullah@Ab Aziz, Director of Quality Management, Innovation and Operational Excellence at InQKA. He expressed appreciation to all involved parties while urging that innovation culture continues to serve as the primary foundation in every work process moving forward.
His closing message reinforced the symposium’s central theme: that operational excellence isn’t a destination but rather a continuous journey requiring sustained commitment from all organizational levels. Moreover, he emphasized how this cultural transformation positions UiTM to respond effectively to evolving educational and operational challenges.
The Operational Excellence Symposium 2025 represents far more than an annual program—it’s a cultural movement that establishes innovation and quality as UiTM’s organizational DNA. Through leadership support, active campus community engagement, and knowledge sharing with industry partners, UiTM continues advancing as an outstanding educational institution prepared to transform its operations toward sustainable excellence and global standards. This holistic approach to operational transformation serves as a model for other institutions seeking to embed innovation culture while maintaining academic excellence and operational efficiency.
