Tsinghua University’s Vice President Leads Delegation to Malaysia, Paving New Paths for Academic Collaboration

Kuala Lumpur – In this momentous 50th anniversary year of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s third visit to China within two years of taking office has further solidified the longstanding friendship between the two nations. His appointment as an honorary professor at Tsinghua University – the first Malaysian leader to receive such an honor – highlights both his international recognition and Tsinghua’s high regard for Malaysia’s leadership, infusing new momentum into Malaysia-China educational collaboration.

The honorary professorship ceremony was hosted by Tsinghua University Vice President Yang Bin in Shanghai, following which Vice President Yang led a delegation to Malaysia to begin a series of academic exchanges. The delegation visited the University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia’s National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), and Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) to deepen Malaysia-China ties in higher education. This visit, coordinated by Anwar’s political secretary, Mr. Chan Ming Kai, and Datuk Nicole Wong, Board Member of the Tsinghua Alumni Association SPPM Branch, aimed to strengthen long-term academic and research connections between the two countries.

The Tsinghua delegation, led by Vice President Yang Bin, included Deputy Director of International Affairs Jiang Yongbin, Senior Officer of International Affairs Zhang Yuan, Secretary of the Communist Party of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management Xue Jian, and MBA Program Director Ma Jia.

The University of Malaya (UM) was represented by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Noor Azuan Abu Osman, along with other prominent academic leaders: Prof. Dr. Ramesh Singh, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development); Prof. Ir. Dr. Nik Nazri Nik Ghazali, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Prof. Dr. Yusniza Kamarulzaman, Dean of the Faculty of Business & Economics; and Prof. Dr. Andri Andriyana, Director of the International Relations Centre.

At INTAN, the delegation was received by Senior Deputy Director Datuk Dr. Haniff Zainal Abidin, Head of Corporate and International Affairs Mohd Khairul Azmi, Senior Assistant Director Vickneswaran Sangkaranarayanan, and Senior Assistant Director of the Premier Leadership Assessment Programme Muhammad Hanif Yusri.

Discussions were held on multiple areas of potential collaboration, underscoring both countries’ shared commitment to educational and research innovation.

Anwar’s political secretary, Mr. Chan Ming Kai said in a statement, as Malaysia’s premier institution of higher learning, the University of Malaya is renowned for its academic excellence and research output, making it a promising partner for Tsinghua University in advancing scientific and educational collaboration.

“Meanwhile, INTAN, as Malaysia’s central institution for training public sector officials, plays an essential role in strengthening governance and developing public servants’ competencies. Cooperation with INTAN will provide opportunities for knowledge exchange in public administration expertise and best practices between the two nations,” he said.

With the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations as the backdrop, this visit holds even greater significance. The collaboration between top institutions like Tsinghua University and the University of Malaya is anticipated to foster closer ties in the academic realm, deepening educational and cultural exchange between Malaysia and China.

“Looking forward, we are confident this partnership will lead to new horizons in education, research innovation, and knowledge sharing, setting a model for future Malaysia-China cooperation in higher education,” he added.