MONASH University recently leapt 13 places to No. 44 globally in the prestigious Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023.
The university also rose three places to No. 37 in the US News and World Report 2022-23 Best Global Universities Rankings.
These rankings endorse Monash University's reputation as a world-leading research and educational institution.
Monash University Malaysia, which is part of Monash University's global network of excellence, is the first foreign university to enter Malaysia.
Monash University Malaysia's president and pro vice-chancellor, Professor Matthew Nicholson, said: "These rankings are a testament to the quality of our staff, education standards and research excellence that define our purpose. Monash University Malaysia, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023, is very proud to be a part of Monash University's global network of excellence."
ARE RANKINGS IMPORTANT?
Monash University Malaysia's vice-president (education), Professor Beverley Webster, believes so.
She notes that the criteria for ranking include student experience, the quality of staff and graduates, research volume and the campus community's internationalisation.
"Some new measures include the impact of research on societies, health and the environment, ethical and inclusion focuses as well as the institution's social responsibility.
"You want to study at a university that produces graduates who get great jobs, become future leaders and have the ability and opportunities to make a difference in local and wider communities. You want to attend a university that engages in and has a reputation for impactful and groundbreaking research," said Webster.
AN EXCEPTIONAL UNIVERSITY
Monash University Malaysia is the third largest campus of Monash University. Students undergo the same curriculum offered in Australia to obtain top-tier credentials, which enables them to get a first-class international degree in the country.
It has successfully integrated learning with real-world experiences, which include internships and other forms of industry-based education that enable students to become impactful leaders.
"Monash University Malaysia contributes to creating a sustainable educational environment through vigorous advocacy of technological, economic, social and political development.
"Rather than relying on the traditional lecture-based model of teaching and learning, our faculties encourage students to collaborate with their peers and participate actively in their learning through a range of approaches, such as project work, solution design workshops and laboratory work, student-led presentations and seminars, problem-based learning, professional skills development, research and active inquiry," said Webster.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Monash University Malaysia offered a superior online and hybrid education, as well as generous study grants and emergency support to students.
"We have continued to invest in the revitalisation of our campus infrastructure and enhancing our system capabilities. Some of these include creating active learning and teaching spaces for an immersive learning experience, refurbishing study and recreational facilities, and enhancing our online learning and teaching systems.
"More projects are in the works, and we are excited to continue innovating new spaces and investing in cutting-edge technology to provide a student experience which reflects a world-class university," said Nicholson.
IMPACTFUL RESEARCH
Monash University Malaysia is an integral part of an international higher education network that aims to change the world with impactful research and solutions.
Collaborating with the government, industry, alumni, donors and community, Monash University's new strategic plan, Impact 2030, will address global challenges through research and education.
"Impact 2030 charts a path for how the university will actively contribute to addressing the global challenges of our age, including supporting the university's response to climate change, preserving geopolitical security and fostering thriving communities. We will strive to be excellent, international, enterprising and inclusive in everything we do," said Nicholson.
Monash University Malaysia boasts some notable research projects.
Professor Chong Meng Nan from the School of Engineering leads a team of national and international researchers to develop advanced nanotechnological systems that produce green solar hydrogen (H2) fuels and C1-C4 chemicals.
Dr Alice Chuah Lay Hong from the School of Pharmacy leads the invention of Tocoheal, a novel all-in-one dressing loaded with a wound-healing agent, vitamin E Tocotrienols, and sustainable, biodegradable polymers formulation.
The product has undergone lab testing, which has shown that it heals the wound faster than untreated wounds or wounds with a gauze bandage. This will greatly impact 8.1 million people worldwide who have wounds.
The School of Information Technology's Dr Anuja Dharmaratne and her research team are working on a video annotation tool.
It's the first of its kind to use micro expressions, facial action units and speech patterns to achieve behaviour analysis using Artificial Intelligence-based methods. The research project is motivated by the high prevalence of psychological disorders in the young population.
Dr Chiew Yeong Shiong and his research team from the School of Engineering have devised a network monitoring system for intensive care mechanical ventilation treatment of respiratory failure patients — CARENet.
The team utilises state-of-the-art model-based and artificial intelligence (AI) methods to analyse patients' data. The prototype was tested in a clinical trial in a local hospital.
The research will provide the opportunity to gain more insight into a patient's condition and eventually benefit patients worldwide.
Dr Thoo Yin Yin and her team from the School of Science have produced biodegradable food packaging with properties identical to existing petroleum-based packages.
The new generation biopolymer-film packaging aims to encourage application through its innovative, scalable and cost-competitive production methods.
Lastly, Professor Teh Pei Lee from the School of Business has been nurturing the Gerontechnology Laboratory since 2016, which aims to grow and mature into a national premier hub for Gerontechnology research, with outreach and global footprints.
These are just some examples of research with impact happening at Monash University Malaysia, where students are immersed in a research-intensive environment.
Their teachers are active researchers who expose them to the cutting-edge results of their research every day.
FUTURE-PROOFING GRADUATES
Monash University Malaysia equips students with problem-solving and flexible skills that will prepare them for the future workforce.
A good example of this is associate professor Ramakrishnan Narayanan's collaboration with LabLands in Spain to implement a remote lab to ensure lessons could continue for his students studying at home.
A futuristic Medical Anatomy and Pathology E-Learning Lab at Monash is another good illustration of this philosophy.
The lab is designed for an immersive and engaging learning experience, which allows medical students to develop team collaboration, a crucial skill in the medical field.
WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION
For the past 10 years, Monash University Malaysia has awarded scholarships worth RM200 million.
Monash University Malaysia is the right place to be for those passionate about tackling the core challenges facing the world.
It is having its Application Day on December 17, 2022 from 11am to 4pm at Monash University Malaysia in Bandar Sunway.
For more details, visit their website.