Professor Dato' Dr Khalid Yusoff

Citation for the Award of Doctor of Medical Science (Honoris Causa)

Professor Dato’ Dr Khalid Yusoff, Vice Chancellor and President of UCSI University, Malaysia, began his medical career in the late 1970s, as a student at the University of Melbourne Medical School and the recipient of a Colombo Plan Scholarship. These were awarded to outstanding students, with identified potential for future leadership, to pursue undergraduate studies. This investment in the young Khalid’s career has generated valuable returns for Malaysia and the medical profession through his subsequent medical and academic leadership, both internationally and within his country.

After training in medicine in Australia and cardiology in the UK, Khalid returned to Malaysia where he began to teach and cultivate the practice and scientific investigation of his speciality. He established the first clinical cardiac electrophysiology laboratory in Malaysia and advocated new techniques such as 3D-echocardiology, endothelial function, pulse wave velocity and heart rate variability assessment. He set up the Heart Centre at Universiti Kebangsaan Malysia (UKM)–now a major cardiac centre–and the UKM Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI)–now one of the main centres for molecular science. His strong advocacy for medical research has accompanied his many roles as project leader and principal investigator to a long list of investigations. His research is cited widely by his peers and continues to be published in high-impact refereed journals. His current work is on understanding the socioeconomic impact on the epidemiologic transition which developing countries such as Malaysia are now struggling with worldwide.  His research performance and impact are greatly valued by colleagues the world over. He is a recipient of fellowships and has been elected to leadership positions in international general and specialist medical societies and colleges. His many contributions to consultative bodies stand as testament to the great store placed on his expertise by governments, academic institutions and learned journals.

In addition to these clinical and research leadership roles he has demonstrated a passion for effective medical education that is aligned to the needs of Malaysia.  This was best demonstrated in his development and implementation of the medical course at the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) as its Foundation Dean. Within this role he built four medical campuses implementing a futuristic hybrid curriculum based on solid scientific foundation imbued with strong humanistic values and supported by a vibrant educational ambience. This course applies the best evidence in medical education to bioscience and clinical learning opportunities, building clinical leaders ideally suited to the evolving Malaysian Health System.

He established The Institute for Medical Molecular Biotechnology (IMMB) and the Centre for Translational Research and Epidemiology (The CenTRE), which are fast becoming substantial research centres in Malaysia. As part of this process he forged strategic international partnerships linking UiTM’s medical faculty to a wide range of global universities and research institutes (including developing formal partnerships with the University of Melbourne and Bio21). These initiatives substantially expand the Malaysian medical workforce and national medical research.

He holds an impressive list of national and international recognitions in particular top academic awards from both UKM (2002) and UiTM (2011), the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Malaysian Society of Hypertension (2013), the Royal College of Physicians of London (1995) research award, the Hewlett Packard International Award (1998), the Albert Schweitzer Gold Medal (2001) and the Royal Awards from the Sultan of Kelantan (1999 & 2000).

He is happily married with two children to Professor Datin Paduka Dr Khatijah Mohd Yusoff, a molecular biologist who is the current Dean of the Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia.

The current standing of medical science, teaching and practice is greatly enhanced throughout Malaysia, and its future is strengthened through the work of this exemplary alumnus of the Melbourne Medical School.