Mohamed Khaidir Bin Mohamed Zaraai

Nadia Ahmed Abdalla

Noor Nadiah Binti Ahmad Azmi

Begaiym Dzhanova

Choong Win Aun

Albukhary International University Shut Down Crisis

IntroductionAlbukhary International University (AIU)• A full-scholarship private institution in Kedah.• Established in 2010.• Mostly offers business programs.• The students are Albukhary Foundation scholarship holders.• 648 students as in 2012.

Yayasan Albukhary Foundation• Founded in 1996.• Based on Muslim principles of Taqwa (piety) and Ehsan (compassion).• Empower the poor to seek education.• Strengthening relationship between Muslim and non-Muslim communities.

Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary• Founder of AIU. • Born in 1952 in a middle-low class family background.• Learned entrepreneurship skills at a young age by helping his parents work. • One of the richest Bumiputra corporate figures in Malaysia.• Net worh of US $ 3.1 Billion (2013) according to Forbes.

Situational Analysis

12th April 2014 14th April 2014 15th April 2014

16th April 2014 21th April 2014 25th April 2014

12th April 2014The Malaysian Insider reported the university to shut down in June due to student dissatisfaction and management problems.

Staff and students were told to search for employment and transfer to other universities.

University denies any financial woes.

14th April 2014Second Education Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh to hold discussions with the university’s management regarding the reasons of closing down the university.

Students’ welfare to be taken care of, transferring them to other institutions.

230/600 students have been transferred.

15th April 2014

6 students filed a suit against the university for not providing closure-notice.

The university didn’t comply to the procedures stated in the Private Higher Institutions Act.

No official letter in print from the university mentioning the closure in June.

16th April 2014

Official statement released by interim vice-chancellor, Professor Nor Adnan Yahaya said the university is to be remodelled.

He stated arrangements of transferring the students were still in the process and was voluntary actions by the students.

21st April 2014

A student refutes the university’s claims that transferring to another institution was voluntary as the students were left with no choice.

Without informing AIU regarding their transfer, it is perceived that the students don’t want to further their students and their scholarships are being revoked.

25th April 2014AIU withdraws their decision to cease operations.

Second Education Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh was informed of the matter by AIU’s management via letter.

Factors due to the AIU’s earlier decision to stop operations were due to ministry monitoring the institution, ensuring it operated within the act of governing private universities.

Lawsuit matters were to be resolved between the students and the university.

Objective

AIU transfers

the students to other

universities

Kolej Universiti Insaniah

IIUM SEGi University

UUM

APU

UTARWawasan

Open University

Multimedia University

UNITEN

USM

Literature Review

Faculty union strike and protest towards

the Eastern Michigan University on 31st

August 2006.

Target Audience

Around 600 students.

Foreign and local students.

230 students transferred to other universities.

Target Audience

To sue or to leave?

Communication Strategy

Appointed an unknown official to advocate for the university.

Does not have any communication strategies.

Inactive social networks.

Other publicity activities…?

Implementation of the Communication

StrategyInterim vice-chancellor finally released an official statement saying that AIU is remodelling, no details were given regarding the matter and the university still remain close down.

Weak channels of communication. 

No crisis management team.

No social media interaction.

Evaluation

Utilize the social media.

Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary should conduct a press conference.

Do not shut down AIU’s websiteUse it to release press

statement.Update the procedure on

applying other universities.

Update available job posting for the staff to

apply.

Release an official press statement.

Evaluation

Evaluation

Evaluation

The issues can be narrowed downed to:

Transparency Ambiguity Channels of Communication

It is evident that the crisis has escalated due to poor communication strategies.

Evaluation

Be transparent.

Consider your choice of words.

Have an official medium of communication.Internally Externally

Conclusion

Now… What is the future of AIU?