<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 11): The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) has appointed Professor Datuk Dr Asma Ismail as its new chairman for three years, effective Jan 1, 2019 till Dec 31, 2021.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a statement today, MQA said Asma, who is the vice-chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), is replacing its previous chairman Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Abu Hassan Othman, who ended his service in December last year.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"MQA would like to record the highest appreciation to Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Abu Hassan Othman and 14 MQA council members from the 2016 - 2018 session for their contributions and efforts to help MQA strengthen the quality of higher education in the country," it said.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Prior to her current position in USM, Asma was the vice-chancellor of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) in 2012, making her the first women in the country to have been appointed as a vice-chancellor for two public universities.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Earlier, she served as the Director-General of Higher Education and is currently the first female president of the Academy of Science Malaysia (2016-2019).</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Asma holds a degree in Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), a masters degree in Microbiology from Indiana University, Bloomington, and a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from UNR.</p></div>


The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) has appointed Professor Datuk Dr Asma Ismail as its new chairman for three years, effective Jan 1, 2019 till Dec 31, 2021

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Barclays reported a 12% fall in first quarter profit on Thursday, as a squeeze on UK mortgage pricing, lower income from trading and a drought of M&A fees showed the difficulties it will face in delivering its first strategic revamp in a decade.

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<p>Benchmark S&amp;P 500 closed higher in choppy trading on Wednesday, as investors weighed an uptick in Treasury yields amid positive corporate results particularly from technology giants.</p>


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