Aini Ideris, UPM’s first woman vice-chancellor, crowned National Academic Figure

KLANG, October 31 — Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Aini Ideris, formerly the vice-chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), has been honored as the National Academic Figure at the 17th National Academic Awards (AAN) ceremony. The prestigious award, presented by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, comes with a trophy, certificate, and RM200,000 in prize money.

Dr Aini, 73, is renowned for her work in avian medicine, animal biotechnology, and vaccine development, including the creation of the Newcastle disease vaccine (NDV4UPM) and a fowlpox vaccine that have found success in international markets. As the first woman to serve as UPM's vice-chancellor from 2016 to 2020, Dr Aini has broken barriers in academia.

Her contributions spanned innovation and product commercialisation, earning her the 2010 National Academic Award in the same category. The 17th AAN recognized the accomplishments of nine academics from higher education institutions across various disciplines. Prof Dr Ong Wee Jun of Xiamen University Malaysia and Associate Prof Dr Serene Lock Sow Mun of Universiti Teknologi Petronas were honored with the Promising Academic Award.

Associate Prof Dr Mohd Khairi Abu Husain of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia received the Innovation and Product Commercialisation Award. Dr Siti Noor Hafizah Mohamed Sharif of Universiti Sains Malaysia won the Book Publication Award, while Associate Prof Dr Saipolbarin Ramli of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris received the Teaching Award (Arts and Social Sciences).

The ceremony underscored the importance of scholars who not only excel in their fields but also contribute to national greatness. Zambry stressed the responsibility of recipients to continue exploring knowledge, producing high-quality work, and inspiring future generations.