Ainuddin Wahid


Ainuddin bin Abdul Wahid was an educationist and the first inaugural Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He made great contributions to educational institutions in Malaysia. In 2000, he received the Anugerah Maal Hijrah 1421H prominent figure award.

Biography

Early education

He received his early or lower education at the Teluk Anson Boys Malay School, Perak. Since elementary school, he began to show his interest in engineering, although at that point he did not yet fully understand what the engineering field was. He furthered his studies to the upper secondary level at the Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh.
Ainuddin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the Bristol University, United Kingdom in 1956. He then took post-graduate work in Traffic and Road Engineering from Ohio State University in 1962 and was awarded a Fellowship from the International Road Federation, US.
Upon his return from United Kingdom in 1957, Ainuddin served as assistant engineer with the Public Works Department.
In 1962, he was appointed as an assistant engineer for the Sungai Way-Klang Federal Highway project before rising to the senior executive engineer position in 1965.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

Later, in 1969, he transferred from his daily work at Malaysian Public Works Department to the Technical Institute, Kuala Lumpur at the government's request as the institution's Principal.

Death

Tan Sri Ainuddin Wahid, died peacefully at age 85 on May 28, 2013 at 5.25 pm local time at his residence in Taman Tunku Abdul Rahman, Ampang. He left behind his eldest son, Saifuddin and a daughter, Aida. His wife, Puan Sri Rahmah Abdul Hamid, died in 1989.
He is buried at Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery located at Jalan Ampang near Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

Awards and recognitions

Honour of Malaysia

Several places were named after him, including: