KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia), 27 Sept 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), in collaboration with the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT), hosted the International Empowering Leadership Conference 2.0 under the theme Empowering the New Era of Leadership with Artificial Intelligence at the Grand Ballroom, Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, recently.
The two-day international conference brought together academic leaders, industry players, government policymakers, and community representatives to explore the role of leadership in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Among the global technology companies participating were Huawei, Toyota, Aerodyne, Google Cloud, and Indah Water Konsortium.
In his keynote address, Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Sri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to building an AI ecosystem rooted in ethics, sustainability, and inclusivity. He also announced the nationwide rollout of Scopus AI across all 20 public universities, making Malaysia the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to implement the research technology comprehensively.
“The National AI Roadmap 2030 outlines Malaysia’s vision to become an AI Nation. This vision is driven by efforts to harness artificial intelligence to enhance quality of life, stimulate innovation, and advance reforms in government administration,” he said.
Throughout the conference, participants were exposed to four key pillars of leadership in the AI era: leadership culture, technology, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), and ethical leadership.
In his closing remarks, UMS Registrar, Luqman Ridha Anwar, underscored the urgency of adaptive leadership in navigating global uncertainties.
“In this era of rapid technological advancement, adaptive leadership must be more than reactive — it must be proactive, value-driven, and visionary. The ability to listen, learn, and lead effectively is the cornerstone of success.
I hope this conference will serve as a catalyst for new ideas, cross-border collaborations, and the responsible integration of AI. UMS remains committed to serving as a hub for dialogue, research, and leadership development through strategic collaboration with AKEPT and with the support of the Ministry of Higher Education,” he said.
Also present at the conference were UMS Vice-Chancellor, Professor Datuk Dr. Kasim Hj. Mansor, and UMS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Ir. Dr. Rosalam Hj. Sarbatly.
