Tuan Yang Terutama Tun Datuk Seri Utama Dr. Mohd Khalil bin Yaakob is the first graduate of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree who successfully received the prestigious award in conjunction with the 21st KUIM Convocation Ceremony held on 30 September and 1 October 2017.
He managed to focus his research in the field of history on the Malacca Sultanate with the title "Kebijaksaan Pemerintah Melaka" under the supervision of Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Abdullah Zakaria bin Ghazali as the main supervisor and Professor Datuk Dr. Haji Mohd Taib bin Haji Dora as a co -supervisor. To strengthen his studies, he has conducted research as far Turkey, China and Europe to obtain primary sources to strengthen his doctoral thesis.
Throughout his studies as a graduate of KUIM's Doctoral Degree, he has gone through the usual process of Higher Education that has been set by the university. Basically, he has gone through the procedure of presentation of the title of the study (proposal defense), presentation of the progress of the study (candidature defense), pre-oral examination (pre-viva) and oral examination (Viva Voce). More impressively, when he presented the research results in Viva Voce, it was attended by a panel of MQA (Malaysia Qualification Agency) as well as a line of external and internal examiners who have been appointed by the university.
He has managed to present the results of his research so wonderfully and brilliantly. This proud achievement is a very meaningful success for KUIM in general because we are committed to produce a first graduate at the Doctor of Philosophy degree level, especially since he is a former state head.