Stories of success, new opportunities in Malaysia
President McRobbie’s tour of Southeast Asia concluded with visits to University of Malaya and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), both located in Kuala Lumpur, followed by an alumni reception on Thursday evening. IU has had a long-standing connection with Malaysia that stretches back several decades. With more than 5000 alumni, Malaysia has one of the largest groups of IU graduates in the world. As we discovered throughout the day’s activities, our alumni work across an array of industries and organizations. Some hold faculty positions at top universities, some are CEOs and high-ranking officials in the private sector, and some of the more recent graduates are already on a path to success.
University of Mayala and UiTM
The day began with a short tour of the University of Malaysia (UM) led by Dr. Jagdish Kaur, Deputy Director of the International and Corporate Relations Office. Following this, President McRobbie, Vice President Zaret, and the other delegation members met with Vice Chancellor Professor Tan Sri Dr. Ghauth Jasmon and deans from several academic programs. Dr. Ghauth talked about recent developments at UM, including the university’s recent decision to become autonomous and their strategies to diversify revenue streams in order to ensure long-term sustainability. As a major research institution, UM continues to focus on international engagement for collaborative research and student exchanges. In particular, Dr. Ghauth emphasized the need for more UM undergraduate students to study in the U.S. Additionally, he shared that there is an increasing need for students and faculty in non-science fields to gain international experience. With IU’s strengths in these areas, as well as an interest in expanding exchange opportunities for our own students, the potential for collaboration in the near future between our two universities is quite strong.
President McRobbie pictured with Vice Chancellor Professor Tan Sri Dr. Ghauth Jasmon
In the late morning hours, we visited Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), an expansive university system of 200,000+ students with campuses across Malaysia. President McRobbie met with Vice Chancellor Y. Bhg. Dato’ Professor Ir Dr. Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar; Dr. Hayati Mohd Dadan, an IU alumnus who serves as Director of the Office of International Affairs; and Penelope Tan, IU alumnus who serves as Head of International Cooperation, Training, and Development.
With a mission to prepare professionals, the university emphasizes increased educational access for Malaysians, in particular those in rural regions with limited financial resources. The Vice Chancellor’s own inspiring story, the feature of an article in The Times Higher Education, reflects this mission and underscores his intense passion for education. While research is done on the flagship campus in Kuala Lumpur, the university maintains a focus on its core mission.
President McRobbie and wife Laurie pictured with Vice Chancellor Y. Bhg. Dato’ Professor Ir Dr. Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar
Over the coming months, the Vice Chancellor plans to take a tour of universities in the United States, with a likely stop in Bloomington to discuss ways that our institutions might collaborate in the future.
Successful, energetic IU alumni
The alumni association in Malaysia is among the largest and most active IU chapter in the world, and Thursday night’s reception underscored the degree to which the alumni remain engaged and energized. More than 150 alumni gathered to catch up with each other, meet the IU contingent, and hear from President McRobbie about the many exciting things happening at IU. The reception was coordinated by Dr. Hayati Mohd Dahan, Aina Othman, and Teoh Thiam Heng,with assistance provided by the IU Alumni Association. Among the many highlights of the evening was the recognition of more than a dozen couples that got married while studying in Bloomington.
President McRobbie addresses the IU alumni in Malaysia
