Academia Day Should Promote Culture of Appreciating Knowledge, Academics

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Academia Day should be celebrated on a larger scale as a platform to honour the contributions of lecturers, researchers, scholars and the entire academic community who play a vital role in educating the younger generation, advancing knowledge and shaping the country's future.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the true strength of the country's higher education system lies in its academic community, which drives student success, research, innovation and the international achievements of higher education institutions.

“A country becomes great when knowledge is held in high esteem and those who advance knowledge are valued. In our pursuit of technological progress, including the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), we must never set aside the knowledge and wisdom of our educators,” he said in a Facebook post today.

He said academics not only impart knowledge but also guide society to think, evaluate and develop a sense of ethics in the use of knowledge, particularly amid rapid technological advancement.

Zambry said that after almost three years at the helm of the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE), he was increasingly convinced that the achievements of the higher education sector depended largely on the people who kept its ecosystem thriving.

He therefore proposed that Academia Day, observed on Oct 5, be given greater prominence and renewed vigour, with more vibrant celebrations at universities, polytechnics and community colleges.

“Rather than merely being an annual event, it should become a culture of appreciating knowledge and those who devote their lives to it,” he said.

Earlier, Zambry attended the 2026 national-level Academia Day and Month celebration at Universiti Malaya.

-- BERNAMA