Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
SDG 5 Indicator
5.3 – Student access measures
5.3.3 – Women’s Access Schemes
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is deeply committed to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through a range of targeted access schemes and leadership programs. These initiatives are designed to provide women with equitable opportunities for professional growth, education and leadership development across all disciplines. A key driver of this commitment is the establishment of the Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre (TFHWLC), which serves as a hub for women-focused programs, mentorship and capacity-building activities. Through its diverse platforms ranging from leadership webinars and mentoring programmes to scholarships and collaboration with industry partners, UKM continues to nurture women leaders, promote inclusive participation and strengthen gender representation in academia and beyond.
Table shows Women’s Access Scheme in 2024
| No. | Program |
|---|---|
| 1. | Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre Webinar Series i. Inspiring Inclusion – Women and Aerospace ii. Inspiring Inclusion – Women Scientists Steering the Challenges of Marine Research iii. Inspiring Inclusion – Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in the Maritime Industry iv. Housewives’ Leadership Program v. The Women’s Leadership Masterclass: Leading with Grace and Grit 2024 |
| 2. | Mentoring Programme i. Mentor Mentee Program ii. Women Entrepreneurs Mentoring Scheme iii. Leadership Shadowing Program |
| 3. | Scholarships And Financial Assistance i. Zamalah Scheme ii. Graduate Research Assistance (GRA) |
| 4. | Other Provision i. Karisma Leadership Talent Programme ii. Gender Equality in Human Rights Talk iii. Collaboration With Axiata for Axiata Digital Leaders Program for Girls 2024 iv. Women’s Gymnasium at Arena Sukan Azman Hashim |
1. Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre Webinar Series
At UKM, there is a dedicated centre established to strengthen the agenda of women’s empowerment and leadership namely Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre (TFHWLC). Through this centre, UKM organises programs like webinars and short courses to uplift female students and leaders. On 5th March 2024, TFHWLC organized Women’s Leadership Webinar Series 1/2024: “Inspiring Inclusion – Women and Aerospace”. This webinar aimed to inspire and create more opportunities for women in the rapidly growing aerospace industry by encouraging their participation in this highly potential and innovative field.
On 11th June 2024, TFHWLC organized Women’s Leadership Webinar Series 2/2024 titled “Inspiring Inclusion – Women Scientists Steering the Challenges of Marine Research.” This webinar focused on women’s leadership in marine research, highlighting the role of women scientists in overcoming challenges within the field. It aimed to inspire more women to engage in marine and environmental research while promoting gender inclusion in science and technology.
TFHWLC Women’s Leadership Webinar Series 3/2024: Inspiring Inclusion – Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in the Maritime Industry was held on 12 November 2024.
This webinar aimed to inspire inclusion within the maritime industry by highlighting how women can explore and overcome challenges in a field traditionally perceived as male-dominated. Ms. Uma Devi MP Samy, an expert in the maritime sector, shared her experiences and insights on leadership opportunities available for women and discussed ways they can play a greater role in empowering and advancing the maritime industry.
Held on 8 July 2024, the Housewives’ Leadership Program Series 1 was designed to equip housewives with knowledge and skills in leadership and household management. The program emphasized the importance of leadership in maintaining family well-being, enhancing decision-making efficiency, managing daily responsibilities and achieving life balance.
The session, led by Dr. Teoh Wan Yee, a Registered Counselor, provided practical guidance and strategies to strengthen leadership skills among housewives. It also focused on psychological and counseling aspects to help participants overcome everyday challenges and foster personal growth within their family and community roles.
Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre
The Women’s Leadership Masterclass: Leading with Grace and Grit 2024 was held from 30 to 31 July 2024 at Cyberview Resort & Spa, Cyberjaya. The program brought together 25 female high positions officers from the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH).
This leadership development program was specifically designed to equip senior female officers with essential leadership skills and competencies in preparation for future leadership roles. The two-day program comprised seven (7) structured modules, each conducted over 1 hour and 30 minutes, combining interactive lectures and mentoring sessions led by experienced facilitators.
Through this initiative, participants were empowered to enhance their strategic thinking, decision-making, and emotional intelligence, fostering a new generation of women leaders capable of leading with both grace and grit.
2. MENTORING
i. Mentor-Mentee Program
The mentor-mentee program, compulsory for all students from their first year to final year, provides personalised guidance to help students succeed academically. Mentors are typically academic staff from the student’s own faculty, ensuring they understand the unique academic environment and challenges their mentees face. Given that UKM has more female students than male, this program is vital for empowering women and promoting gender equity, helping all students, particularly underperforming ones, excel in their studies.
In the Faculty of Science and Technology for example, a Mentor-Mentee Session was organised on 26th April 2024, to provide students an opportunity to meet their mentors. This initiative was designed to offer academic guidance and support, especially to help students prepare for their final exams. The program fosters a closer relationship between mentors and mentees, ensuring that students receive the necessary assistance to succeed in their studies, especially during critical periods like exam preparation.
Faculty of Science and Technology
At the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEP), the Mentoring Program was held from 9 December 2024 to 20 December 2024 to strengthen the relationship between lecturers and students.
ii. Women Entrepreneurs Mentoring Scheme
In 2024, UKM collaborated with Usanita Sdn Bhd (USANITA) and to empower women entrepreneurs and students. This program is a dedicated mentoring initiative for women who aspire to start their own businesses and pursue entrepreneurship.
USANITA aims to enhance the employability of women and students in the entrepreneurial sector by equipping them with essential industry skills. The collaboration between USANITA and UKM will focus on skill development, abilities, creativity and innovation.
Source www.usanita.com/article/usanita-ukm-tandatangani-mou
iii. Leadership Shadowing Program
The Leadership Shadowing Program is an annual program organised by Professional UKM for newly appointed lecturers. This program highlights strong female participation in 2024, with 42 out of 69 lecturers (60.87%) and 13 out of 43 mentors being women. This two-month program pairs new lecturers with senior leaders, offering valuable experience in leadership and governance, further promoting gender balance in university leadership roles.
The program is one of the university’s efforts to provide exposure, experience and observation in leading the university both now and in the future. This talent group represents the future leaders of the university. The leaders are members of the university’s top management, including the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellors, Legal Advisors, Deans and Directors.
List of Women Mentor and Mentee under Shadowing Program in 2024
| No. | Mentor | Mentee |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Prof. Datin. Dr. Marina Mat Baki Dean Faculty of Medicine | Putri Anis Syahira Binti Mohamad Jamil Faculty of Health Sciences |
| 2. | Prof. Dr. Aini Aman Dean Faculty of Economics and Management | Siti Farahiyah Binti Hj Ab Rahim Faculty of Law |
| 3. | Prof. Dr. Tuti Ningseh Mohd Dom Dean Faculty of Dentistry | Cheong Xiong Khee Faculty of Medicine |
| 4. | Prof. Dr. Suzana Bt. Shahar Dean Faculty of Health Sciences | Nuraqila Binti Mohd Murshid Faculty of Medicine |
| 5. | Prof. Dr. Rasyikah Md Khalid Dean Faculty of Law | 1. Norfazila Binti Ab Hamid Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities 2. ‘Aqilah Binti Mukhtar Faculty of Science and Technology |
| 6. | Prof. Ir. Dr. Siti Kartom Binti Kamarudin Director Fuel Cell Institute | Sarina Binti Yusoff Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities |
| 7. | Prof. Madya Dr. Nor Azian Binti Abdul Murad Director UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute | Jasmine Lee Faculty of Medicine |
| 8. | Prof. Madya Dr. Rabiah Abdul Kadir Director Institute of Visual Informatics | Intan Maiza Binti Abd Rahman Faculty of Economics and Management Ros Nadiah Binti Rosli Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment Norshafidah Binti Abu Shafian Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) |
| 9. | Prof. Dr. Kamisah binti Osman Director Centre for Quality Assurance | 1. Harvinder Kaur a/p Gilcharan Singh Faculty of Health Sciences 2. Ruzanna Binti Ab Razak Faculty of Economics and Management |
| 10. | Prof. Madya Dr. Nor Ba’yah Abdul Kadir Director Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre | Siti Hajar Zuber Faculty of Health Sciences |
3. SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The UKM provides multiple scholarship opportunities for female students, including the Research Zamalah Scheme, Graduate Research Assistant and other financial assistance.
These scholarships are part of UKM’s broader efforts to support students financially and promote gender balance in higher education.
i. Zamalah Scheme
Research Zamalah Scheme is an initiative offered by UKM for postgraduate students. The aim of this scheme is to provide financial support to students to help them carry out their research while also covering their daily living expenses throughout their studies. In 2024, UKM awarded Zamalah scholarships to a total of 248 students. The majority of the recipients were female students, with 144 female awardees, representing 58.06% of the total recipients.
ii. Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)
A graduate research assistant (GRA) is a postgraduate student who assists faculty members with research projects by performing duties such as data collection, literature reviews and report preparation. In return for their assistance, GRAs often receive a stipend or monthly allowance and may have their tuition fees waived, providing financial support to help them complete their master’s or doctoral studies. In 2024, UKM appointed a total of 972 Graduate Research Assistants (GRA). Among them, 596 were female recipients, representing 61.32% of the total appointments.
4. OTHER PROVISION
i. Karisma Leadership Talent Programme
The Centre for Professional and Leadership Development (Profesional-UKM) organised the Karisma Leadership Talent Programme Series 1/2024 from 13 to 14 May 2024 (Monday–Tuesday) at the Banquet Room, Level 2, Chancellery Building, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The programme was officiated by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Industry and Community Partnerships, Prof. Dato’ Ts. Dr. Norazah Mohd Nordin.
This two-day programme, which brought together 39 selected lecturers and university administrators, was aimed at strengthening leadership talent, governance and management competencies while shaping the character of emerging leaders and assessing their leadership competencies.
ii. Gender Equality in Human Rights Talk
On 5 November 2024, the Law Library of Tun Seri Lanang, in collaboration with the Centre for International Law and Siyar (CILAS), Faculty of Law, UKM and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), successfully organised a talk titled “Gender Equality in Human Rights” at Lecture Hall 1, Faculty of Law, UKM.
Delivered by Professor Dato’ Noor Aziah Mohd Awal, SUHAKAM Commissioner and expert in Family, Women and Children’s Law, the session aimed to raise awareness and strengthen understanding of gender equality within the framework of human rights. The program, attended by 75 participants, provided valuable insights into legal frameworks, gender-related challenges and proactive measures to promote equality in various sectors.
This subsidised program not only enhanced academic and professional knowledge among students, researchers and legal practitioners but also fostered collaboration between academia, government, and human rights organisations. It contributed significantly to advancing gender equality awareness, critical engagement and policy understanding, aligning with SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
iii. Collaboration With Axiata for Axiata Digital Leaders Program for Girls 2024
From 3 to 9 May 2024, the Career Development Center (UKM-Karier) in collaboration with Yayasan Axiata organized the Axiata Digital Leaders Program for Girls 2024 at Tenera Hotel, Bangi, with subsidized fees. This prestigious program provided seven female students from UKM with intensive training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to strengthen their digital, leadership and problem-solving skills in preparation for careers in the technology sector. The initiative significantly enhanced their industry exposure, career readiness and confidence, while fostering professional networks with industry leaders. By equipping participants with essential digital competencies and leadership insights, the program directly contributed to bridging the gender gap in the digital economy and advancing SDG 5: Gender Equality through the empowerment of young women to take on leadership roles in technology-driven fields.
Source: www.ukm.my/ukmkarier/news/axiata-digital-program-for-girls-meningkatkan-kebolehpasaran-wanita-dalam-industri-digital
iv. Women’s Gymnasium at Arena Sukan Azman Hashim
In 2024, UKM Sports Centre established the Women’s Gymnasium at Arena Sukan Azman Hashim, Bangi, which operates daily from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM with subsidized access. This dedicated facility was designed exclusively for female students and staff, providing a safe, private and culturally sensitive environment for fitness activities. Equipped with modern exercise machines and free weights, the gym encourages women to adopt healthier lifestyles while addressing concerns about privacy and inclusivity. It is estimated that between 500 to 700 female students and staff use the facility regularly, demonstrating its strong impact in promoting physical health, gender inclusivity, and overall well-being. This initiative aligns with both SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being by ensuring equitable access to sports and fitness opportunities within the university community.