The Chancellor's column

October 2009

Monash University Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is booming. It is adorned with sweeping freeways, bustling traffic, giant shopping malls and towering cranes.

Our campus is also booming. Two years ago Monash University Malaysia moved into new purpose-built premises built by the Sunway Group, our partner in running the University. This partnership, in which the University has total responsibility for all academic matters and the Sunway Corporation has responsibility for the physical infrastructure, has worked well – in financial terms and in terms of delivering a quality educational experience.

The campus population is growing; currently there are approximately 4,500 students, of whom more than 1,100 are from neighbouring countries.

Up until last year only a handful of Australian students undertook an exchange at our Malaysian campus, but as a result of a focussed effort by the University this year more than 220 Australian students and a few from our South African campus participated in a semester exchange or a short course in Kuala Lumpur.

Last month I visited Kuala Lumpur to preside over two graduation ceremonies, and to introduce our new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ed Byrne, to the campus community, to various political dignitaries, to academics from other universities, and to our alumni.

We found that Monash University Malaysia is well known among other universities in Malaysia, and is widely regarded as one of the top universities, if not the top university, in the country. Research activity is ramping up. In a show-and-tell session, the Vice-Chancellor and I were introduced to leading research and education developments in Islamic banking, neuroscience, robotics and tropical biology, among other areas.

The 19th century English philosopher John Stuart Mill once said that the object of universities is “not to make skilful lawyers, or physicians, or engineers, but capable and cultivated human beings”.

Monash University’s vision statement refers to our ambition to improve the human condition by advancing knowledge and fostering creativity.

Through our presence in Malaysia, including teaching students from numerous countries in the region, we are simultaneously fulfilling the vision of John Stuart Mill and our own strategic vision.

In his graduation address at the first of our two graduation ceremonies last month, the Malaysian Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, said that Malaysia needs more “knowledge politics”.

The term was new to me, but is very evocative. It describes the goal of using information and learning to enhance the level of understanding across society and to inform political decision-making.

Knowledge politics requires well-educated politicians who have learned the lessons of history and economics, and a similarly well-educated public service. Knowledge politics is driven by the graduates of excellent universities.

Through their contributions to the public service and government, universities can indeed improve the human condition.

We are playing our part; it is only right that we do so internationally as well as at home. Monash University Malaysia serves as a shining example of our contribution to the region.

Dr Alan Finkel AM (BE 1976, PhD 1981)
Chancellor
Monash University