FOUNDER AND CHANCELLOR OF SUNWAY UNIVERSITY, TAN SRI DR JEFFREY CHEAH RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM LANCASTER UNIVERSITY

Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, AO, Founder and Chancellor of Sunway University and Founding Trustee of Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, received an honorary doctorate from Lancaster University at the Sunway University Graduation Ceremony last Friday, 11 October 2013.

Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, a well-known leader in education sector and social entrepreneur was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD hc) in recognition of his outstanding contributions in developing education internationally, as well as, making the collaboration between Sunway University and Lancaster University the growing success that it is today.

Prof Mark E. Smith, Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, conferring the honorary degree to Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, Founder and Chancellor of Sunway University

Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, Professor Mark E Smith on behalf of Sir Christian Bonington, Chancellor of Lancaster University, conferred upon Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO, the honorary degree in a ceremony witnessed by an audience of more than 1,500 graduates, educators, parents and invited guests.

An excerpt from the citation read by Prof Smith : Sunway and Lancaster universities continue to work together to enhance their international reputations for teaching excellence; our partnership has been recognised as a paragon of collaborative development and will only grow under the thoughtful and dedicated leadership which you provide. Your works and many successes in the Sunway Group are well known to us, and of themselves are worthy of recognition through this Honorary Degree.

“We at Lancaster University are honoured to award our highest Honorary Degree to Tan Sri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, AO, Chancellor of Sunway University and Chairman of Sunway Group”, added Prof Smith.

During his acceptance speech, Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah thanked the Council of Lancaster University for bestowing upon him the honorary degree from one of the world’s top universities.

“When I established Sunway College more than 25 years ago, it was my dream that one day it would become a university that would rank amongst the very best in the ASEAN region and beyond. My vision then and even more so now, is for the institution to become a world-class university. Our collaboration with Lancaster University is certainly hastening the process of getting there, especially in the push for high standards of education, research and other academic pursuits for our students and from our staff. Together with Lancaster University, we are proud to have pioneered the concept of dual degrees in Malaysia”, said Tan Sri Dr Cheah.

Sunway University had first commenced its partnership with Lancaster University, UK, in 2006 to initiate an academic collaboration in the areas of psychology, business and computer studies. With the partnership, students who complete their Sunway University honours degree are awarded two scrolls – one from Sunway University and another from Lancaster University.

Lancaster University, founded in 1964 is one of Britain’s best research and teaching universities. The University is ranked in the top 1% of universities in the world, listed at 131 in the Times Higher Education International table and 163 in the QA World University Rankings. Lancaster University ranks the ninth in the world amongst universities younger than 50 years. Last year, Lancaster University had won the “Times Higher Education Business School of the Year Award in 2012.” Forbes magazine ranks the Lancaster MBA 7th in the world and 3rd in the UK in its 2011 ranking of the best non-US one-year MBA programmes.