Dr Zawawi Ismail admits that he was bewildered when  the then Minister, Dr Sulaiman Daud told that he had five months to implement his proposed plans for a new university in Sarawak. The Minister had handpicked him three monts earlier to prepare a blueprint and a roadmap for a new University. Zawawi had many sleepless nights thinking about the academic plan, how to create a culture of excellence in the midst of rapid change.