Dato’ Prof. Dr. Noor Inayah binti Yaakub is a scholar of law and a transformative leader in higher education, whose work is guided by a rare synthesis of intellectual rigor and social compassion. Trained in both civil and Sharīʿah law at the International Islamic University Malaysia, and later refined through postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom at the University of Bristol and the University of Manchester, her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to bridging legal traditions and advancing knowledge with purpose.

Her leadership career has been marked by institutional transformation. As former President and Vice Chancellor of Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur and Chief Executive Officer of Baitulmal Professional College, she championed access to quality education for B40 communities, expanding opportunities in professional and accredited fields. Under her stewardship, education became not merely a pathway to employment, but a vehicle for dignity and empowerment.

Currently leading UCMI, she advances a vision encapsulated in her guiding ethos—Live to Give—where institutions serve as spaces of inclusion, compassion, and intellectual growth. Her initiatives supporting asnaf, mualaf, and underserved students reflect a philosophy of education grounded in care and responsibility.

Beyond academia, her roles in corporate governance and national institutions reflect a breadth of trust and influence. Yet, at the heart of her work remains a simple conviction: that knowledge, when guided by empathy, can reshape lives, communities, and futures yet to unfold.