HIGHER Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin gave his annual address to a gathering of administrators, academics and students last week with a reminder that we are now in the second phase of the Ministry's Strategic Plan to transform the milieu of higher education in Malaysia. It is now about “strengthening and enhancing” after “lying the foundation”. While the former recognises that there is "refinement" that is required of the "institutional pillars" and "critical agenda" set forth throughout the phases of transformation up to 2020 and beyond, it also emphasises the need to "deliver excellence" beginning this year and for the period of the 10th Malaysia Plan. This is the time to translate some of the "investment" made last year to bring out "real" impact to society as outlined in several recently launched transformation documents, which cut across public and private sectors, all within the framework of "People First".