News

University of Melbourne visit celebrates long-standing ties with Malaysia

Media Release, Monday 26 May 2008

The Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, Mr Ian Renard, is leading a high-level University of Melbourne delegation to Malaysia from 24 to 26 May 2008.

The 36-strong delegation includes the University’s newly-appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Peter Rathjen, Pro Vice-Chancellor (University Relations) Professor Warren Bebbington and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Graduate Research) Professor Dick Strugnell.

Dean of Arts Professor Mark Considine, Dean of Architecture, Building and Planning Professor Tom Kvan, Head of the School of Nursing and Social Work Professor Sanchia Aranda, and award-winning documentary film-maker Professor Ian Lang from the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts, will be joined by representatives of the University’s diverse faculties.
During their visit to Kuala Lumpur, they will meet with government, business, and education representatives, and with members of the University’s extensive Malaysian alumni.
Mr Renard says the University of Melbourne has strong, long-standing links with Malaysia, first developed almost 60 years ago when Malaysian students came to the University as part of the Colombo Plan.

“Last year the University of Melbourne was delighted to sign an agreement for a new partnership with seven Malaysian universities for an innovative ‘split’ PhD program. This partnership program for capacity building in the Malaysian higher education system is the most significant research partnership the University of Melbourne has entered into with the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education.”
During the Stakeholders’ Luncheon, Professor Tom Kvan, Dean of Architecture, Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne delivered the keynote speech on ‘Sustainable Cities’ at PJ Hilton, Kuala Lumpur.

The University of Melbourne opened an office in Kuala Lumpur in 2007 to engage more effectively with its growing alumni and with the families of its students, and to facilitate strategic research and academic collaborations with Singapore institutions.
In 2004, the University recognized the significant contribution Malaysian students and alumni have made to the University’s growing stature as a leading international university with the establishment of a prestigious scholarship, the University of Melbourne Prime Minister of Malaysia Scholarship.

Valued at $A180,000, this scholarship is a joint initiative of the University and its alumni in Malaysia. The Scholarship was offered by the University “to express its appreciation for the strong support it has received from the people of Malaysia”.

University of Malaya immunologist Sook-San Wong was the inaugural Scholarship recipient. Recently, Ms Noreen Izza Arshad from the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), has been awarded the Scholarship to undertake a PhD in Information Systems at the University of Melbourne.

The University of Melbourne is known throughout the Asia-Pacific and worldwide as a leading international university. The University is ranked No.1 in Australia ( overall measure of standing) and No. 27 in Times Higher Education, World University Ranking.