Holistic education with a focus on social responsibility
Sunway University Putra Enterprising Brand 2023
DO good and tell it. This is one of the many guiding principles that has led Sunway University to win the confidence of Malaysians.
As one of the leading private universities in the country, Sunway University was adjudged the Enterprising Brand of the Year at the Putra Brand Awards 2023.
Sunway University president Prof Sibrandes Poppema attributes the institution’s success to strategic goals that include combining a holistic education with excellent and meaningful research, with a focus on social responsibility consisting of sustainable development goals, planetary health and social service.
“Under these goals, we place emphasis on programmes such as achieving the best graduate employability in Malaysia and having the highest percentage of top scientists, and putting great effort in sustainable development and planetary health through the Jeffrey Sachs Center and the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health,” he says.
Prof Poppema says Sunway University’s success is down to the institution living by the motto “do good and tell it” in its daily operations, utilising clear communication internally and externally to enforce its goals and achievements.
“Apart from having a clear strategy that is communicated to all staff in the university, Sunway University as part of the Sunway Education Group is governed by the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation that invests in quality education and research as well as provider of scholarships for deserving candidates.
“This focus on doing the right thing enables Sunway ‘to do well by doing good’ as our founder Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah always says.
“It is important to us that we work as a team to execute the strategy and communicate the results.”
Prof Poppema adds that another strength of Sunway University is its strong alignment with other brands under the Sunway group.
“We all share the same core values – integrity, humility and excellence – as well as the same mindset towards the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and planetary health, all accompanied by a strong focus on sustainable entrepreneurship.”
He says the Putra Enterprising Brand of the Year 2023 title is a reflection of Sunway University’s credibility in the national and international market, adding that this will further strengthen the institution’s resolve to expand in these areas.
Moving forward, Prof Poppema shares that Sunway University has an ambitious growth target.
“We are currently building a new facility for the Sunway Business School and the School of Arts that will be ready by the end of 2025,” he says.
Upon completion, the university’s capacity will increase from the current 10,000 students to 18,000.
The university aims to become a research powerhouse in Malaysia and Asia, “and this growth in the number of (international) students is the condition that will allow us to achieve the second goal,” he adds.
Sunway University is a gold winner in the education and learning category of the Putra Brand Awards 2023.