As education and industry increasingly intersect, the urgent need for genuine and meaningful collaboration between universities and industry is clear. In his keynote at Program Karisma Pemikir Madani, Kepimpinan Tertinggi UTM themed “Menginsani Teknologi, Mentransformasi Pendidikan Tinggi”, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Syed Zainal Abidin outlined a vision for university–industry engagement that prioritizes substance over ceremony.
His reflections, shaped by decades of corporate leadership, national service, and his time as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), are distilled into four key dimensions: evolving trends in the private sector, industry expectations of universities, emerging models of future collaboration, and key success factors for collaboration between the two sectors.
Tan Sri Syed Zainal began by challenging the conventional notion of partnership that often exists in form but not in function. “Investing in education is easy; sustaining a successful business requires alignment, trust, and the right people,” he asserted, framing collaboration not as an act of goodwill but as a strategic necessity.
In his view, universities must move beyond rhetoric and become active partners who share accountability for solving real-world problems. He argued that transformation begins with recognising the forces shaping industry today: the rise of artificial intelligence and data analytics, cost optimisation pressures, ESG imperatives, and the push for regional expansion.
“We need to see universities as partners in solving real challenges — not just as suppliers of graduates,” he reminded the audience, underscoring the importance of agility, commercial awareness, and an openness to co-create solutions rather than simply deliver talent.
True collaboration, he stressed, is not a matter of ceremonial MoUs or high-profile announcements. It is embedded in daily practice — in industry presence on campus, in the joint development of curricula, and in research that aligns with national and industrial needs. In a particularly candid observation, he cautioned: “Industries are often eager to sit on university advisory boards. Yet, too often, it starts with a grand launch and ends after a single meeting — all ceremony, no substance.”
The remark resonated as both critique and caution, highlighting a persistent pattern of performative engagement that lacks follow-through. “Collaboration is not about photo opportunities; it’s about solving problems together,” he added, reinforcing that sustained trust, clear outcomes, and shared ownership are the real hallmarks of success.
Beyond structure and process, however, Tan Sri Syed Zainal identified mindset as the critical variable shaping successful partnerships. Drawing on his observations of academia, he noted a striking difference between academics who have spent time in industry and those who have not. “Those who have worked in industry understand the realities — they teach differently, they collaborate differently. The exposure changes how they think and how they guide students,” he observed. He commended the CEO@Faculty Programme by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) as one of the most meaningful national efforts to bridge this mindset divide, allowing academics to experience firsthand the complexities of business environments and, in turn, enrich their pedagogical and research practices. The result, he argued, is not only better industry collaboration but also more relevant and inspired teaching.
Tan Sri Syed Zainal also addressed the changing workforce and the decline in resilience among younger generations. “Many in this generation struggle when things get tough,” he said. “We need to prepare our young people to be more resilient, to think critically, and to recover quickly from setbacks. Technical skills are important, but soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and attitude make the real difference. He also stressed that listening skills are essential, and being a good listener is key to good leadership.
In reflecting on institutional challenges, Tan Sri Syed Zainal did not shy away from addressing the bureaucratic culture within higher education. “In the corporate world, decisions are made in days; in academia, they can take months. We need more agility and less bureaucracy,” he remarked.
Effective collaboration, in his view, rests on three principles: aligning goals, maintaining regular and honest engagement, and designing commercial models that are contextually appropriate. “There must be proper alignment of expectations, regular engagement, and the right commercial model — not one size fits all,” he added. These principles, he suggested, form the architecture of trust — the intangible yet indispensable element of enduring partnerships.
Yet perhaps his most thought-provoking challenge came in the form of a question: What defines a university’s graduate DNA? “Every university produces graduates, but what is your (UTM) DNA? What makes your graduates different from others?” he asked, calling for a deliberate articulation of institutional identity. For UTM and other universities alike, the challenge is not merely to produce employable graduates but to cultivate thinkers and innovators — individuals who possess technical mastery, ethical grounding, and an entrepreneurial mindset capable of navigating uncertainty.
Tan Sri Syed Zainal’s address converged on a clear thesis: the university–industry relationship should be a co-evolutionary partnership. Academia and industry must operate together in a shared ecosystem where knowledge, talent, and technology move fluidly. As he concluded, “It’s time universities and industries stop running in parallel lanes, but run together, toward a shared future.”
In essence, his message was a call for universities to become outward-looking without losing their DNA, and for industries to invest not just in outputs but in relationships. The path from ceremony to substance, he suggested, begins when both sides recognize that collaboration is not a transaction but a shared pursuit of purpose.
Source: UTM NewsHub
