Becoming a fifth-generation university

The role of universities is evolving beyond knowledge transfer. Preparing students to become global citizens who lead change has emerged as a key mechanism for institutions to achieve long-term impact.

Sunway University in Malaysia is on a mission to become a fifth-generation university – an institution that brings together higher education, industry, government and other stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem to drive progress in society. “We don’t just talk about sustainable development, planetary health and social justice. We take action through our research, education and community development projects,” says Sibrandes Poppema, president and vice-chancellor of the university.

Grounded in core values of integrity, humility and excellence, Sunway University embraces its role in driving research and academic innovation to advance global progress. The university is located in Sunway City, which grew around the university and is celebrated as a model of sustainable urban development, having transformed from a former tin-mining site into a thriving, low-carbon smart city today. In 2016, Jeffrey Sachs, president of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), co-founded the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development on the university campus. In 2022, the SDSN Asia headquarters was incorporated within the centre. Sunway University established the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health in 2021. 

The university operates under the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that uses the power of education to transform lives and uplift communities in Malaysia. The foundation’s “doing well by doing good” philosophy is embedded in the university’s culture. Central to this approach is the view that education needs to be holistic and go beyond knowledge and skills. “All of us should do some good in life,” says Poppema. “It’s not just about knowledge and skills. It’s about values and mindset – building integrity, being the best version of yourself and learning humility.”

All students at Sunway University must complete for-credit courses in three topics: integrity for sustainable development; building a sustainable entrepreneurial mindset; and community service for planetary health through the Sunway Desa Mentari Community Development Programme. In addition to advancing equitable progress and tackling urban challenges, this initiative offers students opportunities to apply their skills outside the classroom. In 2025, students completed 300 projects in the area, such as teaching English and conducting healthcare tests. The university supplies 1,250 school uniforms every year to children in the Desa Mentari community.

Sunway University’s focus on sustainable growth is not just a moral imperative but also a catalyst for graduate success. It has secured the top position for graduate employability in Malaysia in the Talentbank Graduate Employability Awards since 2022. Sunway University has reimagined the student experience through an integrated, career-guided curriculum that combines personalised and interdisciplinary learning, industry immersion, AI-enabled career intelligence and progressive coaching.

Sunway University has reimagined employability as an integral part of education rather than an outcome at the end of a degree. “We believe education is not a linear journey towards a single profession,” says Lay Ching Chai, pro vice-chancellor for education, employability and alumni at Sunway University. “It’s about discovering talent, enabling reinvention and empowering graduates to create meaningful contributions throughout their lives. That philosophy has fundamentally reshaped how we design the learning journey.”

At Sunway University, education, employability and lifelong alumni engagement are viewed as one continuous ecosystem. Supporting this is a progressive coaching model, with academic, industry and executive success coaches helping students discover their strengths, navigate university life and participate in workplace experiences. “We think about how students learn in the classroom, how they experience university life and how they plan for the future,” says Chai. Students are encouraged to personalise their education through interdisciplinary learning pathways that extend beyond their degree programmes. Through the CareerxXplorer Hub, they can explore emerging fields such as AI and sustainability, allowing them to tailor their learning according to their interests and aspirations.

“Our delivery is not conventional when it comes to industry partnerships. Programmes are co-designed with industry, embedding authentic practical projects, workplace experiences and real-world problem solving,” Chai explains. “We expand the classroom so students don’t only learn through courses.” The university has a network of over 8,000 employers and industry partners connected through the university’s career ecosystem to advise on course content and provide mentoring and career opportunities.

Sunway University is also developing an AI-powered talent intelligence platform that provides students with personalised academic and career guidance by analysing labour market trends, emerging skills and individual learning profiles. It provides students with insights for more informed academic and career planning and enables the university to continuously align programmes with evolving workforce needs. The university offers LaunchX, a start-up accelerator programme for those who wish to explore the entrepreneurial route.

International partnerships also play a role in the university’s mission, says Poppema. It maintains a long-standing relationship with Lancaster University in the UK to enable students to receive two degrees, promote joint research projects and offer student mobility pathways. Similarly, it has partnered with Arizona State University in the US to enhance course curricula, offer dual-degree programmes, promote knowledge exchange and enable study abroad experiences. It also has agreements with institutions such as the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford in the UK and Harvard Medical School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley in the US.

Looking to the future, Sunway University seeks to maintain its virtuous growth strategy. Its student numbers have grown at a rate of 14 per cent per year since the Covid-19 pandemic began, including a diverse group of international students. “We all have a role to play,” says Chai. “Success is no longer measured simply by producing employable graduates. It is about nurturing adaptable, ethical and globally minded individuals who can continuously learn, reinvent themselves and create meaningful impact throughout their lives.”

Find out more about Sunway University.