The Seventh Multiversity Conference: Decolonisation, Leadership and Knowledge Democracy in the 21st century University.
High-level conference plots futures for higher education in Malaysia and beyond.
Representatives from across the globe are gathered at The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, for a conference on ‘Decolonisation, Leadership and Knowledge Democracy in the 21st Century’.
The three-day event, which began today, is a unique collaboration between the Ministry of Education, Malaysia, through its Academy for Higher Education Leadership (AKEPT), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC), and the Multiversity.
The conference draws together Malaysian and international delegates to explore critical questions about the future of Higher Education in Malaysia.
The conference was launched by the Ministry of Education's Higher Education Department Director-General Professor Dato' Dr Asma Ismail.
In her speech, Dato' Asma stressed the importance of new thinking about where higher education should develop in future, and welcomed the attention to the topic of decolonisation.
The nurturing of new mindsets, she argued, was central to the future of Malaysia. She noted the irony of a UK university hosting such an event, and congratulated both Nottingham University and USIM for taking forward a partnership not only between public and private institutions, but also between secular and religious forms of knowledge and education.
Professor Christine Ennew, The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Nottingham and Provost for UNMC mentioned, as representatives of educational institutions, we all have a responsibility to protect, challenge and develop existing knowledge, to bring forth new leaning and to ensure that what we know can be shared and exchanged for the benefit of us all.
Dr Asma gave special emphasis to the concept of ‘learned, values-driven talent’ as the objective of the Higher Education blueprint and the strategic development of the Malaysian Education system.
Decolonisation is a particularly pressing issue in many developing and emerging nations. In higher education, this refers to ways in which local institutions move beyond the inherited, traditional conventions and forms of organising universities. Delegates consider ways to restructure faculties, degree programmes and research projects.
Malaysia was represented by members of the AKEPT Leadership programme, as well as senior figures from the Higher Education field.
The conference saw experts in different academic disciplines arguing for the revision and reassessment of traditional ways of organising and leading universities.
Among notable academicians presenting their work at the event are eminent mathematician C.K. Raju, pharmacist and former Universiti Sains Malaysia Vice-Chancellor Tan Sri Prof Dzulkilfli Abdul Razak, and Marcus Garvey University Vice-Chancellor Babuuzibwa Luutu.
Image: from the left Prof Dato’ Dr Musa Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor USIM, Dato' Professor Dr Asma Ismail, Director-General, Ministry of Education's Higher Education Department and Professor Christine Ennew, The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Nottingham and Provost of UNMC.
-Ends-
For more information please contact, Sean Matthews, Head of School (UNMC) of Modern Languages and Cultures, Sean.Matthews@nottingham.edu.my or Josephine Dionisappu, PR & Communications Manager on Josephine.dionisappu@nottingham.edu.my, +603 8924 8746.
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with campuses in China and Malaysia modelled on a headquarters that is among the most attractive in Britain’ (Times Good University Guide 2014).It is also the most popular university in the UK among graduate employers,in the top 10 for student experience according to the Times Higher Education and winner of ‘Research Project of the Year’ at THE Awards 2014. It is ranked in the world’s top one per cent of universities by the QS World University Rankings.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future.
Posted on 25th January 2015