SIRIM Berhad, an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, marked its 50th anniversary with a grand celebration on 19 November 2025. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, members of the SIRIM Board and Senior Leadership Team, as well as representatives from various industry sectors. 

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is proud to have first partnered with SIRIM more than 30 years ago, in 1994 (then known as APIIT), for its quality certification, becoming the first private institution to attain the generic ISO 9002:1994 standard. Since then, SIRIM has continued to serve as APU’s quality audit partner through annual assessments.

Achieving ISO 21001:2018 – A Higher Standard in Educational Excellence

In December 2024, APU progressed to the more focused quality standard for the education sector – the Educational Organisations Management System (EOMS) ISO 21001:2018. In recognition of this achievement, a Certificate of Recognition was presented to APU by Datuk Omar Shariff Mydeen, Director of SIRIM, during the SIRIM Industry Night 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. Receiving the certificate on behalf of APU was Ts Nur Zahdi Mohd Nor Aldin, Director of Quality Management.

This milestone reaffirms APU’s enduring commitment to robust governance, systematic academic delivery and operational efficiency, while continuously aligning its processes with international benchmarks to exemplify best practices in educational service delivery.

Systems, Teamwork and Determination Behind Success

APU’s Quality Management Team, led by Ts Nur Zahdi, collaborated closely with stakeholders to achieve the new global quality certification. The core team included:

• Mr Mohd Fauzi Zanil, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering
• Mr Vijayaraj C. Vijayasingam, Lead Auditor and Senior Lecturer, School of Technology
• Ms Nor Munira Sundri, Senior Executive, Quality Management
   

They were supported by a committed team of internal auditors comprising both academic and operations staff.

Setting the Benchmark for Education Providers Nationwide

During the event, SIRIM also announced the introduction of two new standards aligned with emerging technologies and modern practices – the AI Management System Certification (ISO/IEC 42001) and the Innovation Management System Certification (MS ISO 56001).

Notably, APU played an active role in the review and development of these standards in Malaysia. Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, APU’s Chief Innovation and Enterprise Officer, served on the Technical Committees for both standards, alongside Mr Zailan Arabee Abdul Salam, Senior Lecturer at the School of Computing (SoC), who contributed primarily to the Artificial Intelligence domain.

These accomplishments further establish APU as a leading model for educational service providers nationwide, reinforcing its position as a benchmark institution dedicated to excellence, relevance and continuous innovation.

CEO’s Remarks

Commenting on this recognition, Datuk Parmjit Singh, CEO of APU, said, “This achievement is a powerful testament to APU’s unwavering commitment to delivering education at the highest quality standards.” 

“The ISO 21001 standard confirms that our systems are globally benchmarked and that our practices are centred on the success and holistic development of our students. As we continue to move forward, APU remains steadfast in nurturing the next generation of talent for Malaysia, empowering them with the knowledge, values and resilience to shape the nation’s future.”