Heriot-Watt University Malaysia’s EmPOWER Programme Named Finalist for PIEoneer Awards 2025
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) is proud to announce that its flagship EmPOWER Programme has been named a finalist in the Progressive Education Delivery category at the prestigious PIEoneer Awards 2025.
Sponsored by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the world’s leading authority on global university rankings, this honour places HWUM as the only Malaysian university shortlisted in this global category.
This recognition positions the University alongside some of the world’s most forward-thinking institutions, including Capilano University (Canada), Royal College of Art (UK), The University of Hong Kong, and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Global Cities initiative (US), contributing to Malaysia’s growing influence in progressive higher education.
To be recognised on a global stage is not just an honour for Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, it’s a recognition of what Malaysian higher education can offer the world because we at Heriot-Watt University are future shapers in that journey together.
EmPOWER is celebrated as a transformative purpose-driven educational architecture that reimagines how universities prepare graduates for leadership, innovation, and impact. The programme is designed around a four-tier framework: Leading Self (Watt), Leading Teams (Kilowatt), Leading Communities (Megawatt), and Leading Enterprise (Gigawatt). Each level integrates development across six interrelated domains: global citizenship, emotional intelligence, people skills, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and employability.
These principles are deeply embedded across the student experience, culminating in the IMPACT Transcript, a world-first student record that documents personal, community, and enterprise impact alongside academic achievement.
To date, more than 5,000 students have journeyed through EmPOWER, collectively raising over RM 300,000 to support over 20 impact partners including NGOs, charities, and social enterprises. They have led initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, influenced policy, and launched community-based ventures. Students are further recognised through prestigious awards such as the Driven by Purpose Prize, IMPACT Prize, and Provost Prize for Enterprise.
The programme is also the driving force behind groundbreaking initiatives in HWUM like the articulation of an IMPACT Statement, the mobilizing of purpose into impact through IMPACT Projects, critical thinking systems using F.R.A.M.E, the Climate Advocacy Course, which promotes climate action, the Provost Club, which nurtures purpose-driven entrepreneurship in collaboration with global thought leaders and enterprise experts and most importantly an IMPACT Transcript, a document that signposts their journey of purpose. EmPOWER acts as a hub for applied learning, digital portfolios, enterprise incubators, and real-world solution crafting.
Professor Mushtak A-Atabi, Provost & CEO Heriot-Watt University Malaysia said: “EmPOWER is a movement. It’s how we activate purpose in young people and scale it into real-world leadership, innovation, and positive change.
"To be recognised on a global stage is not just an honour for Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, it’s a recognition of what Malaysian higher education can offer the world because we at Heriot-Watt University are future shapers in that journey together.
"Our purpose is to empower leaders to build an equitable, sustainable, and enriching society. Our global community leverages presence and expertise to provide applied learning and research that transforms lives and addresses real-world challenges.”
The PIEoneer Awards, presented by The PIE News, celebrate global innovation and achievement in international education. The Progressive Education Delivery category specifically honours programmes that redefine traditional pedagogy, expand inclusivity, and deliver learning that is relevant, impactful, and globally connected.
“This recognition is a remarkable milestone for us, EmPOWER was designed because the world needs purpose-driven leaders who care, who can act, and who dare to make a difference,” added Professor Mushtak.
As the University continues its mission to empower leaders who will shape an equitable and sustainable future, the EmPOWER Programme stands as a bold expression of how education can transform lives, institutions, and societies. One purpose-driven leader at a time.
The winners of PIEoneer Awards 2025 will be announced at the awards ceremony on Friday 5th September at London's Guildhall in United Kingdom.