PROFESSOR DATO’ DR MOHAMED AMIN EMBI

Ph.D. (TESOL.) (Leeds), M.Ed. (TESOL.) (Leeds), Dip. Education (TESL) (UKM), B.A. Hons (First Class) (Brock, Canada)

Dato’ Dr. Mohamed Am​in Embi is a professor of technology-enhanced learning at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He is a leading a consultant, expert and master trainer on e-Learning in Malaysia and in the Asia-Pacific region. Under the Malaysian Higher Education Leadership Academy’s Training of Master Trainers Programme, he has conducted more than 200 specialized training on e-Learning, interactive lecture, e-content development, Web 2.0, OER and MOOC. He is also a strong proponent of Open Educational Resources and an active contributor of Web 2.0 resources. His recent publication entitled ‘Web 2.0 Tools in Education Series’ has recorded more than 1.5 million ‘reads’ in Scrbd.com and Slideshare.net. A Web 2.0 mobile application that he has developed known as JiT2U (Just-in-time Training 2U) has also attracted educators from more than 115 countries worldwide. Currently, he is the Chief Information Officer (CIO), and the Director, Centre of Teaching and Learning Technologies, UKM. For his outstanding and signigicant work in education, he has received numerous prestigious international awards including the Open Education for Excellence Individual Educator Award 2016 and the Open Education for Excellence Ope​n MOOC Award 2016 (from the Open Education Consortium) as well as the Excellence in Distance Education Award 2016 (from the Commonwealth of Learning). In 2010, the received the prestigious ISESCO Prize for Science and Technology (for e-Learning Technology). He has also recieved several national awards including the National Academic Award 2006 (Teaching Innovation), the Muslim Outstanding Award 2008 (Education), the Malaysia Achievement Award 2012 (Outstanding Achievements in Education Category), the Higher Education e-Learning Personality 2014 and the Higher Education Best e-Learning Facilitator 2014.

DATO’ SRI HAJI SYED ZAINAL ABIDIN

DATO’ SRI HAJI SYED ZAINAL ABIDIN, serves as Vice President of Marketing of Downstream Business PETRONAS.He served as an Executive Director at Bioalpha Holdings Berhad since September 12, 2013. He served as Managing Director of Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd. He began his career as a Project Engineer with Petronas Gas Sdn Bhd in 1987, prior to joining Petroliam Nasional Berhad as Senior Executive of Corporate Planning and International Business Development in 1992. He subsequently joined Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd as Senior General Manager in 1999. He served as Executive Director of Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn Bhd since 2002. He served as Deputy Managing Director of Perodua since 2005 and served as its Senior General Manager. He served as Managing Director of Proton Holdings Bhd from 2006 to July 4, 2012. He then left Petroliam Nasional to join HICOM Holdings Berhad in 1995, where he assumed various senior positions. He lent his expertise to PERODUA. He later joined Malaysian Trucks and Bus Sdn. Bhd, rose through the ranks to become Chief Executive Officer and moved on the Perodua to become its Head of Production. He has been Non Independent & Non Executive Director of PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad since July 31, 2017. He served as a Non-Executive Director of RHB Islamic Bank Berhad since October 6, 2015 until October 5, 2017. He served as an Independent Non Executive Director at RHB Bank Berhad from October 6, 2015 to July 1, 2017. He served as a Director of Various subsidiaries of PROTON Group. He served as an Independent Non-Executive Director at RHB Investment Bank Berhad since October 06, 2015. He served as a Director of Proton Holdings Bhd. from January 1, 2006 to July 4, 2012. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from University of Maryland, US in 1985.

On 22nd July 2011, Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin received the ‘Global Leadership Award in Automotive Sector’ at the Global Leadership Awards 2011 ceremony. The award, organized by a high-profile business magazine, The Leaders International, is an extension of Malaysia Business Leadership Awards and a recognition of astute Global Leaders in their field of trade. Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal was also awarded 2011 – Brand Laureate Brand Icon Leadership Award 2011, Unreserved Man of the Year Award for the Unreserved Magazine in Dec 2011 and Outstanding American Alumnus Award (American Universities Alumni Malaysia ) in March 2012. Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin is pursuing his interest in entrepreneurship and he holds chairmanship in Bumiputera companies namely CMS Consortium Ecotour Sdn Bhd, Duta Klasik Sdn Bhd, Brainy Bunch Islamic Montessori, Minsyam Sdn Bhd as well as Executive Director of Bioalpha Holdings Berhad. He is also active engaging with university students and academician through talks and workshops. Dato’ Sri also had been appointed as the Premier Fellow at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia as well as one of the Industry Advisory Panels at a few local Universities.

PROFESSOR DR ABD KARIM ALIAS

Though a professor in the field of Food Technology at the School of Industrial Technology Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), currently Professor Dr. Abd Karim Alias, is more involved in the efforts to boost online educational practices, especially after being appointed as the Director of the Centre for Development of Academic Excellence (CDAE) USM.

What motivates him is, he always has the confidence in the potential of ‘open access education’ as a way of sharing knowledge with everyone around the world, which would provide endless benefit to countless individuals and communities.

Abd Karim has been named among the Top 50 Influencers in Education – Asia Pacific by a particular website (http://bit.ly/1JrB6ij) which has listed only two individuals from Malaysia. These two individuals were described as being responsible in shaping the educational landscape and inspiring change, initiating reformations in education and implementing innovations in today’s teaching and learning practices.

Currently, he is involved in assisting the Ministry of Education in implementing the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) agenda, at the same time engaging himself in the development of the Malaysian Education Development Plan – Higher Education (PPPM-PT) focusing on Global Online Education, as well as assisting the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) as a master trainer in the various training programmes held.

He has produced more than 130 research papers as a result of his active involvement in various research and innovation endeavours, including those being categorised as having a high index, as well as doing supervisory duties to many postgraduate students. ​​​​​​​​