By: Noor Eszereen Juferi

Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Saripan, 37, replaces Prof. Datuk Dr. Mad Nasir Shamsudin whose service ends on November 30, 2016.

He has a Ph.D in Digital Image Processing from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom and a Bachelor’s degree in Electric-Electronic Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Hailed from Muar, Johor, he has served UPM for more than 15 years since 2001, starting as a tutor at the Department of Computer System and Communication Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, before becoming a lecturer in 2006, then an Associate Professor in 2011 and a professor in 2014.

He is formerly the Head of the Department of Computer System and Communication Engineering, Faculty of Engineering in 2012.

In 2014, he was appointed as Deputy Dean (Post-Graduates) of the Faculty of Engineering and Director of the Quality Assurance Centre (CQA) in 2015.

His professional appointments included his position in the IEEE Gold, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEC) Malaysia from 2010 to 2011 and he also held the Vice Chairmanship for IEEE Consumer Electronics from 2009 to 2012 and Vice Chairmanship for IEEC Signal Processing in 2014 until today.  He is a Chartered Engineer for Engineering Council UK since 2015, and an evaluation panelist for Engineering Council UK until today.

Throughout his service in UPM, he has been active in teaching and research, having won the Top Research Scientist Malaysia (TRSM) award in 2013, National Young Scientist Award as well as The Young Outstanding Malaysian Award (TOYM) in 2012.

He is also an expert in academic quality, with his involvement in the assessment of programmes in Bangladesh which is part of the World Bank’s project.

At the national level, he is an assessor for the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC). He is also actively involved in MyQUEST, Polyrate and My SPeKK.

Under the new portfolio, he will head the administration of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Office for academic and international affairs and be fully responsible in the development of new academic policies, promotion of quality assurances, improvement of teaching and learning qualities and expansion and promotion of UPM’s international affairs.

UPM management members have described Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Saripan’s appointment as being able to support the objectives of the university in meeting its strategic targets in relation to the process of teaching and learning, including continuous empowering of UPM students as well as academic staff in achieving professional development.

His vast experience in academic quality assurance will be an asset to the university in ensuring that UPM continues to abide by the standards and specifications set at national and international levels.

He is actively involved in the Outcome-based Education (OBE) concept, making sure that the OBE concept is applied fully in UPM and nationwide. – UPM.

Date of Input: 13/03/2017 | Updated: 13/03/2017 | idah