By Wan Ab Hafiz Wan Ibrahim, Vice Chancellor’s Office

Celebrating its 25th Silver Jubilee, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) is accelerating its role in Malaysia’s Blue Economy, with new academic programmes, research initiatives, and sustainable campus projects shaping its 2026 agenda.

The university’s plans and achievements were highlighted during the Vice-Chancellor’s Address 2026, held on 22 February at Dewan Sultan Mizan.

The event brought together more than 1,000 members of the university community in a spirit of unity and shared purpose. During the address, Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Mohd Zamri Ibrahim expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the UMT community for the institution’s outstanding achievements in 2025 and called on all members to continue embodying the spirit of togetherness in realising the university’s strategic plans for 2026. This aligns with UMT’s aspiration to lead the nation’s Blue Economy agenda in conjunction with the university’s 25th Silver Jubilee celebration.

Moving into 2026, UMT will continue to strengthen its momentum of excellence by focusing on talent development, academic programme expansion, high-impact research and campus digitalisation. Five new academic programmes will be introduced in 2026 as part of a strategy to increase enrolment and graduate employability, particularly in the fields of renewable energy, maritime technology, security and the blue economy.

UMT will also align its institutional direction with the Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint 2026–2035 through three key focus areas: high-performing talent development, flexible education and lifelong learning, and sustainability and planetary health. This approach is in line with UMT’s mandate as a university centred on marine and aquatic resources.

In the context of national leadership, the theme “Leading the Nation’s Blue Economy Agenda” reflects the university’s commitment to serve as a national reference centre that connects academic expertise with industry and the community. UMT’s research will continue to address national challenges such as climate change, food security, marine renewable energy and the sustainability of ocean ecosystems.

The year 2026 also marks a historic milestone with UMT’s 25th Silver Jubilee celebration, symbolising the institution’s maturity since its establishment. The jubilee represents not only an anniversary but also a moment of reflection on the university’s journey from a university college to a globally recognised institution in marine and aquatic resource studies.

In conjunction with the celebration, the university also launched 26 electric vehicles as part of its sustainable campus initiative. This step reflects UMT’s continued commitment to supporting environmental sustainability, global carbon reduction efforts and the aspiration towards a zero-carbon future, in line with the university’s expertise in sustainability and renewable energy.

Overall, the achievements of 2025 provide a strong foundation for UMT to move forward in 2026. With the strength of knowledge, values and collective unity, UMT remains determined to lead the nation’s Blue Economy agenda and to be a relevant, competitive and high-impact institution for the nation and the world.