Kuala Lampur, Oct. 28 -- In Malaysia's higher education calendar, the closing months of the year mark two significant seasons: universities welcome new students and celebrate the achievements of their graduates at convocation.

These moments of arrival and departure invite us to look beyond the physical gates and doors of universities and faculties, and reflect on the deeper messages they convey about education and the shared aspirations and responsibilities of the institutions, academics and students within them.

At the main entrance of the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya, the words "Enter into the Realm of Excellence", inscribed above the glass doors, greet academics and students as they enter the faculty.

These words are more than ...