Who's Who in the Malaysian Education Industry
Prof. Dato’ Omar Osman to Y.Bhg. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman
Vice-Chancellor
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Prof. Dato’ Omar Osman to Y.Bhg. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman is currently the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), the first university in Malaysia chosen by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education to implement the Accelerated Programme for Excellence (APEX). He was formerly the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of USM in charge of Student Affairs and Development [March 2007 - 2011]. Omar was also formerly Director of the Corporate and Sustainable Development Division, Universiti Sains Malaysia [2005-2007], a division in the university responsible for the planning and implementation of USM's strategic moves and also acts as the secretariat for the Regional Centre of Expertise Penang [RCE Penang] on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and coordinator for activities related to the Healthy Campus programme.
He is also currently a Professor in Project Management and Sustainability at the School of Housing Building and Planning, USM and still actively engages in academic teaching and supervision especially on construction project management at the postgraduate level.
Prof. Dato’ Omar Osman to Y.Bhg. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman began his career in USM in 1989 soon after he graduated with a PhD in Project Management from Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom. He also holds a BSc in Quantity Surveying and MSc in Construction Management. He was appointed a Professor in October 2008.
Omar has played a significant role in promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). He and a team of experts were responsible for the recognition of USM as one of the seven world's first Regional Centre of Expertise (RCEs) on ESD by the United Nations University in 2005. He continues to play an active role in promoting ESD particularly during his tenure as Deputy Vice- Chancellor. He is still active in research and consultancy work on project management and ESD and travels widely in the process of learning for sustainability.
In the area of strategic planning, Omar is actively involved in a series of strategic moves made by USM since 2004, including the planning of the Research University, the 9th Malaysia Plan development, the APEX University and the 10th Malaysia Plan. Omar is also actively involved in training and human resource development especially in students' development where he led a number of initiatives on sustainability. Omar has published a number of books including Construction Management (in Bahasa Melayu), The Emerging Governance and Economic Issues in Construction Industry, and The Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutions. He is planning another book on human resource development in USM. Omar has also been appointed as keynote speaker at various conferences on sustainability both locally and abroad.
Omar has a deep passion for sports which landed him various posts in sports development. He was the Chairman of the Malaysian University Sports Council (MASUM) [2008 – 2009], and Chairman of ASEAN University Sports Council (AUSC) [2008 – 2010]. Presently, Omar is the Chairman of Holistic Student Development-Critical Agenda Project PSPTN of the Ministry of Higher Education, and was the Chairman of the IMT-GT Student Carnival 2009-2011 and the Deputy Chairman of the Deputy Vice Chancellors' Student Affairs Secretariat of the Malaysian Public Universities [2010-2011].
