“Today’s success is not mine alone. It is the success of the students themselves, how they gain knowledge and apply it in their lives.”
For Professor Dr. Shahrulniza Musa, that belief has remained at the heart of nearly three decades as an educator, researcher and university leader at Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).
His recognition with the Anugerah Pendidik Cemerlang at the Anugerah Pendidik MARA 2026 celebrates a career shaped his commitment to developing students as leaders, creators and critical thinkers.
A cybersecurity professor at Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Information Technology (UniKL MIIT), Prof. Shahrulniza began serving the institute in 1995.
Over the following 30 years, he progressed from programme coordinator and head of department to Dean of UniKL MIIT, Deputy President for Academic and Technology as well as Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of UniKL.
Yet, he maintains that the success of an educator should ultimately be measured by the achievements of the students.
“As lecturers, we must educate students to become leaders, creators and thinkers. To me, that is what truly determines our success as educators,” he said.
Among the most demanding periods of Prof. Shahrulniza’s leadership journey came when he assumed the responsibilities of Acting President and Chief Executive Officer during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
The unprecedented disruption required universities to move quickly beyond established practices as teaching, learning, administration and student engagement shifted into a new normal.
With campuses facing operational restrictions and the higher education sector adapting to rapidly changing circumstances, his leadership responsibilities extended beyond maintaining academic continuity.
Reflecting on the hardships that shaped his leadership approach, Prof. Shahrulniza said every responsibility must begin with a clear purpose.
“When we undertake any work, we need to establish an objective. The objective should not necessarily be about a position or financial reward. For an educator, the objective must be holistic,” he said.
Throughout his academic and leadership career, Prof. Shahrulniza contributed significantly to strengthening UniKL’s research ecosystem and institutional standing.
His contributions included reinforcing the university’s research policies and supporting improvements in SETARA, the Malaysia Research Assessment (MyRA) instrument and the QS Asia University Rankings.
During his senior leadership tenure, UniKL received recognition as the Most Improved institution in the MyRA 2020, advanced from four stars to five stars in SETARA and rose from the 351+ position to the 291–300 band in the QS Asia University Rankings 2021.
UniKL’s Academic Reputation indicator in the regional ranking also improved from 242nd to 198th in Asia.
His impact can also be seen through the Diploma in Computer Networking programme, which has produced more than 2,000 graduates, and the development of the Pre-Korea programme during his tenure as Dean of UniKL MIIT.
Beyond institutional leadership, Prof. Shahrulniza has established an extensive record in cybersecurity education, research and technical standardisation.
He has authored more than 83 Scopus-indexed publications and produced 15 doctoral graduates in information technology.
His expertise also contributed to the development of 14 technical codes for the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Malaysian Technical Standards Forum Bhd in the fields of information and communications technology and cybersecurity.
He was also appointed Chairman of the Security, Trust and Privacy Working Group under the Malaysian Technical Standards Forum Bhd for the 2026–2029 term.
“Becoming a winner at an event such as this may be limited to one person each year, but do not be demotivated. Winning should not be the main objective of a lecturer or staff member.
“What matters is that you give your full effort, motivation and contribution. The students and those who benefit from your work will appreciate it,” he said.
