ASSOC. PROF. DR LIHANNA BORHAN

Director, Office of Knowledge for Change and Advancement (KCA)

Assalāmu’alaikum warahmatullāhi wabarakātuh

We started 2019 with a change in our name – from the Office of Institutional and Academic Quality Management to Office of Knowledge for Change and Advancement. This name change reflects not just an expansion of the scope of our work, but the underlying philosophy of the role of the University.

We continue with our existing work of being the Office in charge of accreditation processes of our academic programmes, as a university that has been awarded the self-accreditation status by MQA. We also continue facilitating the various agencies to manage their quality processes such that together we have a strong Quality Management System. We continue working with various internal and external agencies to ensure that IIUM is able to offer not just a strong academic experience to our students, but also a good student life; and that our staff members are able to work in a safe and productive environment. All these can only be done when everyone embraces the quality culture, hence the name change to underscore the idea that quality does not belong in any one office, but is the purview of everybody.

The other major aspect reflected in our name change is the underlying philosophy of the role of the University. The University is not a degree mill, who do not roll out students with academic credentials gained simply by passing subjects. The academic credential is instead our testament that our students have gained the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to go out and make a difference – for their own progress and for the development of humanity.

As such, this is going to be an exciting time for everyone. With the changing landscape globally, and with IIUM intending to lead the way, KCA will be working closely with all agencies to be putting together academic programmes that will push our students – and our staff – to acquire knowledge beyond knowing and doing, but to develop their own humanity and kesejahteraan and will in turn enable them to work with others to develop the community’s kesejahteraan.