SUNWAY INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP ESTABLISHED AT SUNWAY UNIVERSITY

Sunway University, owned and governed by the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation (JCF), recently set up the Sunway Institute for Social Entrepreneurship (SISE). The Institute aspires to be a leading and influential centre for the advancement of social entrepreneurship in Malaysia. It drew inspiration from the JCF which is the largest social enterprise in Malaysia with a unique operating model.

SISE was established as an extension of the socially entrepreneurial vision of JCF’s founder, Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah to give back to society and to leave a lasting contribution that makes a real difference in people’s lives. It was approved by the Academic Senate of Sunway University in September 2012.

From left, Associate Professor Dr Foo Yin Fah, Director, Sunway University Institute of Social Enterprise; Serena Cheah, Managing Director, Group Strategy & Corporate Development, The Sunway Group; Elizabeth Lee, Senior Executive Director, Sunway University and the Sunway Education Group; Lee Weng Keng, CEO, Education & Healthcare Division, The Sunway Group; Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah; Datuk Seri Razman M. Hashim, Pro-Chancellor, Sunway University; Tan Sri Dr. Ramon Navaratnam, Pro-Chancellor, Sunway University and Professor Graeme Wilkinson, Vice-Chancellor, Sunway University

Social entrepreneurship is an activity that combines the passion of a social mission with a business-like discipline, innovation and determination. The JCF itself is a fine example of social enterprise with the first-of-its kind not-for-profit structure in the country which has, to-date given out in excess of RM100 million worth of scholarships since 1997 when it was the Sunway Education Trust.

The objective for the establishment of SISE is to transform and empower people to be socially entrepreneurial change-makers through education, multidisciplinary research and social impact innovation initiatives.

The Institute will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses on entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship that would help nurture vibrant and dynamic change-makers that would make a significant social impact to our community, nation and the world. It will also undertake multidisciplinary research that would contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship and its practical applications.

SISE is hopeful in that it will help promote and develop a community of social entrepreneurs by providing a supportive and collaborative environment where entrepreneurs, academics and students can experiment, test and implement their ideas for social innovation and entrepreneurship that would maximise social impact. Successful entrepreneurs will be recognised for their achievements to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

The Institute will establish an International Advisory Committee made of up renowned local and international entrepreneurs and academics that would provide advice on the strategic direction of the Institute as well as link the Institute with the wider global community of social entrepreneurs. It will be managed by a Director and will be supported by programme managers, associate researchers as well as in-house entrepreneurs.

The announcement of the establishment of SISE was made by Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah and Dr Pamela Hartigan, Director of Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Said Business School, Oxford University.

SISE will be hosting the Kuala Lumpur Chapter of the Social Innovation Camp Asia 2013 soon whereby it will create a community where people can experiment, discover, prototype and become advocates for using social technology as a driver of positive social change.

“I strongly believe in social enterprise. The JCF is a successful model of social entrepreneurship and we want to share our experience with others. I want to spread this knowledge so that others can start their own social enterprise to help others in need,” said Cheah, who is also the Chancellor or Sunway University and Founding Trustee of the JCF.