Agreement signed for University of Reading Malaysia

Monday, 12 December 2011

l to r: David Savage, Professor Tony Downes and colleagues from Iskandar Investment Berhad

Acting Vice-Chancellor, Tony Downes and the University's Director of Finance and Corporate Services, David Savage signed an agreement in Malaysia over the weekend to establish a campus for the University of Reading Malaysia. The agreement is subject to approval by the Council of the University next term.

The agreement, which was signed with Education@Iskandar Sendirian Berhad (EISB), in the presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister, is of huge importance to the University and is a sign of our commitment to ensuring Reading becomes a truly global player.

Reading will be joining other prestigious universities, including Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia and the University of Southampton.

University of Reading Malaysia will open in September 2014 as part of EduCity Iskandar Malaysia in Johor Bahru with an initial intake of 500 students. It is planned that enrolment will rise to approximately 1,800 students by 2017 with long-term student numbers settling around 2,000.

Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees will be offered across multiple disciplines including real estate, construction, finance, law, chemistry and pharmacy.

"We are an ambitious University, and while we want to grow, there is little room for expansion of home student numbers under the current Government policy;" said Professor Downes.

"We are successful in attracting international students to our UK campus but those markets are changing fast with the development of high quality provision in international students' own countries. 

"We have established historic links with Malaysia, and University of Reading Malaysia will build on these relationships to provide programmes for Malaysian students and the wider region.

"At a later date, it will also provide opportunities for our UK students to develop the values, skills and experience of living and working in an international environment."

The University's partners, Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) will take on the capital costs of building the campus, which the University will then rent to run our academic programmes.

Staff based in Reading will be involved in establishing the teaching of the University's programmes in Malaysia, spending periods of time at the Malaysia campus.  The University will also be recruiting academic staff in the region, and may in time recruit in the UK and Europe for colleagues to be posted on a principal basis to Malaysia.

The University will have a presence in Malaysia from June 2012 as non-HE programmes - pre-sessional English and Executive Education programmes from the Business School - will be delivered from rented offices in Johor Bahru from that point. 

To find out more, please visit the Reading Malaysia website >>> or contact the Malaysia Project Team  led by Professor Rob Robson.