IIUM Staff Celebrate their Master’s Degrees Together

By, Nur Zahirah

GOMBAK, 7 December 2025: History was made when four of IIUM staff were conferred the Master’s degrees in Management from Kulliyyah of IIUM Graduate School of Management in the second session of the IIUM 41st Convocation Ceremony at the Main Hall of IIUM Cultural Centre (ICC), IIUM Gombak campus.

Mohd Hidayat bin Ahmad Traimizi, a Sport Officer from Sports Development Centre (SDC) who also holds the roles as coach of the IIUM Mustangs Athletics Team and Fellow of Mahallah Zubair Al-Awwam shared that navigating responsibilities as both staff and student was an intense but meaningful phase of his life.

He said that time management was not the only struggle, as managing energy and emotions in juggling between many different roles in one day was definitely a challenge too.

“Most of my reading, searching for learning materials and completing assignments happened from late night until the early hours of the morning, and there were times when I had to use annual leave just to settle major academic tasks or submissions,” he explained.

Sometimes, this left him with an inner pressure to give his very best for each role.

Remembering his intentions to contribute better to the IIUM community with this master’s qualification kept him motivated during those tough moments. His wife’s understanding and resilience in caring for their autistic child were his source of determination to complete his studies to be a more responsible husband, father and servant to the community.

He advised that it is possible to succeed both as an IIUM staff and a postgraduate student even during the times of when guilt of not giving well dominates. Because of that, one needs to remember that this is a temporary phase of the process with a long-term benefit for the ummah. 

Administrative Officer at Residential and Service Department, Johan Bin Hj. Ibrahim said that careful planning and discipline are keys in balancing work and study. Fatigue and stress were indeed things he faced, especially when both work and academic deadlines overlapped, as well as limited time in allocating time with the family. 

“My mother passed away in 2014, and my father in May 2025. It hurts that both of them are not here with me today,” he said.

Still, he thanked Allah SWT for surrounding him with a strong support system, from his dear wife, Rozelah binti Rusli, to his supportive supervisors, colleagues, bosses and teammates in studies: Hidayat, Ramadhan, and Nizam.  

Frequently reminding himself about his long-term goal that is to gain knowledge, he was also blessed with the IIUM environment that promotes the culture of lifelong learning. He encouraged others not to be afraid to challenge their life as growth requires stepping outside the comfort zone. This experience that he gained strengthened his belief that Allah will make a way when there is sincerity. 

Islamic Religious Officer at Center for Islamisation, Muhammad Ramadhan Subky, said priotising which tasks to focus on definitely helped make things manageable.

During tough times, the physical symbol of his goal is the name tag that was mistakenly engraved with ‘Dr.’ before he even enrolled in his master’s programme.

“I hung that tag above my mirror at home. It became a powerful sign and a constant reminder to complete my studies until that “wrongly written” title officially becomes my reality,” he said.

When asked to share a piece of advice to any IIUM staff who are currently or considering to pursue a master’s degree, Muhammad Ramadhan Subky said, “You are in an environment of knowledge. Grab the opportunity in front of you and do not waste it. As IIUM staff, you have incredible access to resources, leverage every single one of them to support and complete your studies.”

One of the staff, Shahrulnizam bin Jaafar was unable to be contacted by IIUM Today. ***