21 August 2009
Respected Monash University economist, Professor Bala Shanmugam has been appointed to the Advisory Panel of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) for a two-year term.
Professor Bala has an extensive knowledge in Islamic finance and is the Chair of Accounting and Finance within at the School of Business at the University's campus at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
He was selected for his experience in finance academia and industry where he had successfully married theory and practice. He is also a former independent director of a large Malaysian bank.
Professor Bala said his research with MIER would help deliver on the Malaysian Government's aim of establishing Malaysia as an Islamic banking hub.
"Research will tell us where our forte lies, where our strengths and weaknesses are, and how to take advantage of our strengths and remedy the weaknesses to place us in an enviable position," Professor Bala said.
Prof Bala, who has published 33 books on finance including seven on Islamic banking, said members of the panel will advise the Government on trade, finance and capital markets issues.
"We will also be advising various government agencies on economic policy issues," he said.
Prof Bala said Monash University was also helping address a lack of research into the areas of finance, with six industry-sponsored Monash University post-graduate students currently conducting intensive study specifically on Islamic banking.
Monash University was the first foreign university invited by the Malaysian Government to set up in Malaysia a decade ago and operates from a state-of-the-art campus at Bandar Sunway.
Monash University is a member of Australia's prestigious Group of Eight research intensive universities, has campus in Australia, Malaysia and South Africa and a presence in Europe and India. It is consistently ranked among the top 50 universities in the world by The Times Higher Education Supplement.
For more information please contact Shamini Darshni at +60 19 274 8877 or +60 03 5514 6000 ext 61412. | 
