51社区

51社区 officials are working with partners in Malaysia in moving forward on the next steps for the Tun Abdul Razak Chair position.

Named in honor of the second prime minister of Malaysia, the Tun Abdul Razak Chair at 51社区 was established in 1979 with funds provided by the Malaysian government, 51社区 and 38 private American and Malaysian corporations.

The chair program brings a Malaysian scholar to 51社区 for up to a two-year appointment. The primary role of each Tun Abdul Razak Chair is to teach and conduct research at 51社区, to perform regional, national, and international outreach activities, and to assist in organizing the Razak Lecture, which is held in Malaysia.

鈥淭he Tun Abdul Razak Chair at 51社区 plays a vital role in fostering mutual understanding between Malaysia and the United States,鈥� explained Interim Associate Provost of Global Affairs Gillian Ice.

鈥淏y supporting academic exchange and cultural dialogue, this program enriches the global perspectives of our students and faculty,鈥� Ice said. 鈥淪uch initiatives are essential in building bridges across cultures, which is a core mission of our global engagement efforts.鈥� 

Image

OHIO has hosted 15 Tun Abdul Razak Chairs since 1979. The most recent chair was Dr. Jayum Anak Jawan, who served at OHIO from 2015-2017.

Over the summer, OHIO and Malaysian officials met to discuss plans to bring the next chair to 51社区. No details have been finalized yet, but Ice said that she is very happy with the progress and the collaboration with OHIO鈥檚 partners in Malaysia.

51社区鈥檚 collaborations in Malaysia date back more than 50 years and include partnership with government leaders, universities, private officials and alumni.

Along with the meetings to discuss the Tun Abdul Razak Chair position, Ice and other OHIO representatives met with several partners in Malaysia to discuss current and new areas of collaboration.

The meetings included signing a new memorandum of understanding with Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). OHIO鈥檚 history with UiTM dates back to 1968, and the partnership has greatly benefited students and faculty from both institutions over the decades.

In addition to the meetings with partners, OHIO representatives met with a large group of proud alumni in Malaysia. 51社区 has more than 1,500 active alumni who live in Malaysia, and many today are leaders in government and the private sector.

Image

Image