Former Army chief Gen Zulkifli Zainal Abidin today officially taken over as National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) vice-chancellor from Lt-Gen Allatif Mohd Noor.

The handing over of duty was held at the UPNM senate meeting room and witnessed by UPNM Board of Directors chairperson Admiral Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor.

Earlier, Zulkifli, who becomes UPNM fourth vice-chancellor, took a salute and inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by the first battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, Sungai Besi Camp at UPNM’s Dataran Wawasan.

After the handing-over ceremony, Allatif was accorded a farewell parade by UPNM staff.

Zulkifli, 55, headed UPNM from Sept 2008 to May 2010 before his stint as Army chief from June 15, 2011 to June 14, 2013.

Speaking to reporters later, Zulkifli said he would continue the good work of his predecessor to ensure that UPNM would become an outstanding defence and security university.

During his illustrious career, Zulkifli had served as senior instructor at the New Zealand Army Infantry School for two years where he was tasked with teaching army officers from Commonwealth countries, including New Zealand Army on weaponry, tactical studies and counter-insurgency warfare.

He had also served as lecturer in management at the Army Management Training Centre from 1992 to 1993.

He holds a Master’s in Management from the Asian Institute of Management and attended various management courses, including a senior management development programme at the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

- Bernama