Spearheading innovation in the region
WITH its impressive global presence, Monash University is leading the way for research-based problem-solving around the world. The recently released Reuters Top 75: Asia Pacific’s Most Innovative Universities rankings has named it the most innovative university in Australia.
In Malaysia, the Monash University branch campus is pioneering a vision of innovation based on meaningful involvement with its surrounding community in South-East Asia.
“To me, the real innovation is how we engage,” says Prof Andrew Walker, president and pro-vice-chancellor of Monash University Malaysia.
“Engagement is key to what we do here. Our location in the heart of the Klang Valley means that we are perfectly situated to engage with industries and shape a research agenda that will meet the industry’s productivity challenges in the new Malaysia.”
Much of the campus’ innovative engagement with the industry is accomplished through collaborative research partnerships that carry significant social impact.
An example of this is the recent launch of sustainability grants centred around improving the eco credentials of Sunway City, where the university is based.
The Monash University Malaysia Community Grant Scheme currently supports five projects that will mobilise the university’s research skills towards improving urban sustainability.
These include the Sustainable Intelligent Transportation Ecosystem, which will use adaptive technology to meet the city’s transportation needs, and the Sunway City River of Sustainability, which aims to conserve and manage the water canal that runs through the city.
“The sustainability grants sum up what we’re trying to do here. We supply worldleading research and collaborate with a major corporation to make an impact in our local community,” says Prof Walker.
Monash University Malaysia is also investing in educational innovation to ensure that its students are active participants in the learning process. The campus, which was recently awarded a 6 Star: Outstanding score in the Rating for Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia, is committed to putting students’ needs first.
The days of having a single teacher standing before rows of desks in a classroom will soon be a thing of the past as the campus moves towards using more innovative educational methods.
As Prof Walker puts it, the new focus is not on teaching, but on learning. Students will be given opportunities in the classroom to develop the critical skills that they need to transition smoothly into the working world.
Monash University achieved a personal best this year by placing
59th in the QS World University Rankings, and the Malaysia campus aims to use this momentum to continue spearheading innovation in the region.
Prof Walker sees the improved ranking as an opportunity to put the university’s research expertise into action.
“The ranking places us in the same league as other top research universities in the world. My vision is for
Monash University Malaysia
Twenty years ago, Monash University took a bold step in setting up a campus here in Asia, and we are still the only major research-intensive Australian university to have a comprehensive campus here. We were born out of innovation. It is part of our DNA. Prof Andrew Walker
to build a research platform in South-East Asia.
“There is a huge opportunity for our research to help us create relationships with the industry, government and civil society here.
“For instance, our advanced engineering researchers are working on smart manufacturing to help the industry in Malaysia respond to the opportunities the Fourth Industrial Revolution presents. That, to me, is a recipe for meaningful engagement and innovation.”
Such initiatives from the Malaysia campus will not be slowing down anytime soon. As the campus celebrates its 20th anniversary, Prof Walker reflects that the roots of its trailblazing legacy reach all the way back to when it was established in 1998.
“Twenty years ago, Monash University took a bold step in setting up a campus here in Asia, and we are still the only major research-intensive Australian university to have a comprehensive campus here.
“We were born out of innovation. It is part of our DNA.” – By Helen Sneha
Jambunathan
For information on the courses available at Monash University Malaysia, visit www.monash.edu.my