Assalamu’alaikum wbt and warm greetings!
As we bid goodbye to 2025 and step into 2026, I reflect on the past year with gratitude and pride. For Putra Business School (PBS), 2025 was marked by strategic growth, global achievements, and continual progress, made possible by the collective efforts of our management, faculty, staff, students, partners, and stakeholders.
The year 2025 celebrated the rising international reputation of PBS’s programmes, which are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). Our MBA was once again rated No. 1 in Malaysia and No. 23 in Asia under the QS Global MBA Rankings 2025. In the QS Online MBA Rankings 2026, our MBA (Open and Distance Learning Mode) was ranked No. 1 in Malaysia, No. 9 in the Asia-Pacific, and Top 100 globally.
PBS also achieved a key milestone this year by expanding our coursework programme portfolio, with the launch of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Open and Distance Learning (ODL). We welcomed our inaugural cohort of local and international professionals in September, marking an important step forward in widening opportunities for high-quality doctoral education. Importantly, the DBA-ODL pathway embodies PBS’s belief that learning should be flexible, accessible, and connected to industry realities.
In 2025, PBS’s Executive Development programme witnessed significant growth in scale, reach, and impact. Our Putra Management and Leadership Programme Global Series ventured abroad to the United Kingdom and Thailand, offering participants immersive learning experiences. Undoubtedly, PBS’s international footprint in executive education has positioned us at the forefront of training, consultancy, and professional development.
It was a year of growth in quality, quantity and partnerships as well. Our campus was enlivened by intervarsity engagement visits from numerous international delegations, including students and academics from India, Indonesia, China, and more. Hosting our esteemed peers was a gratifying reminder of PBS’s role as a regional education hub within the global postgraduate community.
Global sustainability was another priority for PBS in 2025. I am proud to share that PBS has become a member of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN), a platform that promotes sustainable development through high-quality education and research collaboration. With this membership, we are now one of over 2,000 world-leading academic and research institutes that contribute unique, practical solutions to sustainable development challenges across the globe.
Internally, PBS pursued institutional efficiency this year by initiating the PBS Quality Management System (PQMS) to guide quality enhancement efforts across all departments. Through ongoing workshops, reviews, and internal discussions, the PQMS has been designed not only to streamline our operational structures and technical systems, but more importantly, to help our people be their best selves. Likewise, the PBS Staff Retreat and PBS Townhall and Half-Year KPI Review provided vital platforms to reflect on our progress, recognise each other’s contributions, and align our efforts with PBS’s strategic goals. Another particularly meaningful occasion of the year was the PBS Convocation Ceremony 2025, where we celebrated the achievements of our graduates and welcomed them into the PBS alumni community.
This year, the support of PBS Chancellor, His Highness Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, Crown Prince of Selangor, has been invaluable to PBS. PBS’s University Management Committee had the privilege of attending an audience with His Highness to discuss PBS’s strategic direction. His Highness also officiated our EcoLegacy: Trees for Tomorrow CSR initiative, which brought together students, staff, corporate partners, the Selangor Forestry Department, the Faculty of Forestry and Environment UPM, and the Selangor Youth Community for an environmental effort in support of Malaysia’s 100 Million Tree Planting Campaign (2021–2025). Going into 2026, PBS remains committed to caring for the environment and giving back to society through greater CSR activities.
Indeed, PBS has thrived as a socially responsible community in 2025. The PBS Student & Alumni Association (PSAA) played an active role in enriching student life and alumni engagement, reflecting the leadership potential of our students. This year, they conducted successful industry visits, knowledge-sharing initiatives, team-building sessions, dinner events, blood donation drives, and notably, the ConnectED Networking Day Series. I wholeheartedly commend the PSAA’s service, dedication, and energy, and look forward to their future contributions.
PBS’s international awards, rigorous academic standards, and industry-relevant curricula have cemented our position as a leading postgraduate business school. Each of our coursework-based MBA programmes include up to three certificates from established industry partners: Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM), the Institute of Marketing Malaysia (IMM), The International Supply Chain Education Alliance Malaysia (ISCEA MY), The Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (MAICSA), the Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management (MIHRM), and most recently, the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI). Complementing the coursework programmes, our MSc and PhD research programmes offer four specialisations that encompass key areas of business scholarship. For more details on our programmes, accreditations, and partners, please explore our website.
As we move into 2026, we have passed the halfway point of our journey through the PBS Five-Year Strategic Plan 2023-2027. I am proud of PBS’s upward trajectory thus far, and I am confident that our philosophy of Human Governance and core values of Wholeness, Oneness, and Excellence will help us stay true to course. In alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the Madani Economy Framework, and the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan 2026-2030, we will continue to enhance our academic offerings, expand strategic partnerships, and prioritise sustainability, inclusivity, and human governance in all our endeavours.
I extend my sincere appreciation to the Yayasan Putra Business School Board of Directors, the PBS Board of Governors, the University Management Committee, our faculty and staff, students, alumni, partners, and associates for making 2025 a success. Together, we have laid a strong foundation to reach greater heights next year, and I am grateful to have your support as we raise the bar for academic excellence in 2026.
May the new year bring renewed purpose, meaningful opportunities, and positive growth for all.
Thank you, and Happy New Year!
