Monash University is a global learning institution dedicated to powering knowledge and making a difference. It aims to empower students with a greater sense of purpose, a global outlook and the skills and confidence to make a positive change for tomorrow's world.
The University recently skyrocketed 13 places to rank 44 globally in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023 and achieved its best-ever result in the prestigious US News and World Report (USNWR) 2022-23 Best Global Universities Rankings, rising three places to 37 in the world. These rankings endorse Monash University's reputation as a world-leading research and educational institution.
Professor Matthew Nicholson, President and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash University Malaysia, noted that “Monash University is consistently recognised as a world-class University, and these latest ranking results confirm our position in the top 50 Universities in the world. These rankings are a testament to the quality of our staff and the education and research excellence that defines 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?
Absolutely! According to Professor Beverley Webster, Vice President (Education), Monash University Malaysia, the criteria used 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, the ethical and inclusion focus, and 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,“ Professor Webster shared.
A world-class university right here in Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia is the third-largest campus of Monash University. Students undergo the same curriculum offered in Australia to obtain top-tier credentials, enabling them to get a first-class international degree very close to home from a university ranked 57 globally in the 2023 QS World University Rankings.
Monash University Malaysia has successfully integrated learning with real-world experience, including internships and other forms of 'industry-based education' that enable students to take their careers forward and move into leadership roles, making a difference in the communities where they are employed.
“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, and research and active inquiry,“ stated Professor Webster.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Monash University Malaysia invested heavily in delivering a superior online and later, hybrid education and offered generous study grants and emergency support in recognition of the challenges students faced.
“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,“ shared Professor Nicholson.
Research with impact
Monash University Malaysia is an integral part of an international higher education network that aims to help change the world with impactful research and solutions for improving global communities. Monash University's new strategic plan, Impact 2030, charts how it will actively contribute to addressing these challenges through its research and education and in collaboration with the government, industry, alumni, donors, and community.
“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. Importantly, we will strive to be excellent, international, enterprising and inclusive in everything we do,“ said Professor Nicholson.
Monash University Malaysia boasts some notable research projects. With global urbanisation and industrialisation leaving mighty dents and enormous carbon footprints that remain resilient in the environment, there is a crucial need to move away from the current carbon-based economy. Professor Chong Meng Nan from the School of Engineering leads a research team of national and international researchers working on developing advanced nanotechnological systems to produce green solar hydrogen (H2) fuels and useful C1-C4 chemicals. When H2 fuel is combusted, it yields energy and water as the byproduct and leaves carbon emissions out of the picture, which is undoubtedly beneficial for the environment.
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 and has been shown to heal the wound faster than untreated wounds or wounds with a gauze bandage. The self-management of dressings by patients will enable hospitals to focus their expenses on other priority areas. This will impact the lives of 8.1 million people worldwide who have wounds.
Dr Anuja Dharmaratne from the School of Information Technology and her research team are working on a video annotation tool, 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 respiratory failure patients and individuals worldwide.
The current rate of plastic waste production is far exceeding the rate of plastic degradation. This is worrying as it could cause an imbalance in the biomes, resulting in water pollution. 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 widespread application through its innovative, scalable and cost-competitive production methods.
Professor Teh Pei Lee from the School of Business has been nurturing the Gerontechnology Laboratory since 2016, striving to make it grow and mature into a national premier hub for Gerontechnology research, with outreach and global footprints. The research aims to improve the lives of older people.
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 is dedicated to preparing students for the future workforce. The University is training students to look for solutions with flexible skills that will prepare them for future uncertainty and disruption. A good example of this can be seen through Associate Professor Ramakrishnan Narayanan's collaboration with LabLands in Spain to successfully implement a remote lab to ensure lessons could continue for his students studying at home. His collaboration on this project with academics from abroad bagged the 2021 Global Online Laboratory Consortium (GOLC) Online Lab Award for remote laboratory.
A futuristic technology-enhanced Medical Anatomy and Pathology E-Learning Lab at Monash University Malaysia is another good illustration of this philosophy. The lab is designed to encourage collaborative learning, given that team collaboration is a crucial skill every student needs to develop. It is integrated with an award-winning networked active learning ecosystem with multi-touch tabletop computers together and an extensive range of anatomy and pathology learning resources. It provides an immersive and engaging learning experience for Monash medical students.
Classroom technology helps students to share their learning experiences with their peers. The teacher is a facilitator and guide rather than the source of all knowledge. Active and engaged learning is the best way to prepare students for the challenges they will face in the future workforce.
Monash University Malaysia has been in Malaysia for 24 years. It was the first foreign university to grace our shores. Monash's long-standing and robust history is showcased in its excellent understanding of local and regional markets. Its research is strengthened through global collaboration with industry and government, and its improved industry income score demonstrates the success of these relationships. Monash University Malaysia has awarded scholarships worth RM200 million to successful recipients for the past ten years.
If you are passionate about tackling the core challenges facing the world, Monash University Malaysia is the perfect place for you. You can get a world-class education right at your doorstep! Join our Application Day on 17 December 2022, 11am to 4pm at Monash University Malaysia. Details at www.monash.edu.my.
