Our Five Pillars of Internationalisation

1. Global Belonging

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Sunway’s 20-year partnership with Lancaster University, pathways with Arizona State University and collaboration with Le Cordon Bleu connect learners to UK, US and global hospitality education, benefiting more than 5,000 learners. Art Beats, co-created with Lancaster since 2023 and alternating between Malaysia and the UK, turns transnational education into reciprocal creative exchange. Across four editions, it has engaged participants from more than 21 countries, co-created over 60 works with artists and practitioners from 14 countries, exhibited more than 140 art and film works, and generated over RM800,000 in financial value. 

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Partnering with Lancaster University for 20 years to offer global British education experience.

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Partnering with Arizona State University since 2023 to introduce diverse American degree options.

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Partnering with Le Cordon Bleu, France, for over 13 years, training students for hospitality and culinary excellence.

Art Beats

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2. Inclusive Commitment

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Sunway uses heritage, music and creative practice to build intercultural understanding. More than 20 global workshops with cultural practitioners and experts have engaged over 3,000 international participants. A flagship is Wayang Kulit Kelantan. Through the Sunway Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage, Sunway works with the Department of National Heritage, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and international researchers, including collaborators from the University of Cambridge, to document and promote this Malaysian tradition, supporting efforts towards UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition. Historic puppet shows held overseas are reconnected through exhibitions, digital archives, augmented reality and virtual reality.

Cultural Showcases

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Wayang Kulit

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Cultural Workshops & Exhibitions: Exploring Culture Through Heritage and Creativity

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3. Diversity Expression

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Sunway engages embassies and diplomatic missions from more than 50 countries, creating sustained cultural, educational and diplomatic exchange, bringing artists, practitioners and industry experts to campus. Africa Day 2026 brought representatives from 19 African embassies and more than 300 guests, while opening possibilities for collaboration with Waqaf Africa. Sunway has also hosted the Latin American Film Festival for two years with participating embassies. The University has also held collaborations with the embassies of multiple other countries, including Spain, Italy, and Brazil.

Collaboration with Embassies

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Africa Day 2026 Symposium

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The Africa Day 2026 Symposium was a genuine celebration of culture and connection. Bringing together delegates from 19 African nations, the symposium kicked off with national anthems and keynote addresses. Participants engaged in insightful discussions on trade and education, then headed to Sunway University’s Q Deck to explore individual country-themed booths, sample authentic regional dishes, and enjoy vibrant music and dance performances by African students.

4. Space for Everyone

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The Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre and new Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences facilities provide spaces to meet, perform and create. The Triple Alliance with Monash University Malaysia and Taylor’s University was expressed through a joint student orchestra, while Sunway Music Expo connects academia with international creative industries, engaging more than 10,000 international participants.

Cultural Performance:Celebrating Cultures Through Performance

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State-of-the-art Facilities

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Our new Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences facilities and the Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre open further possibilities for students, visiting artists and the wider city. 

Triple Alliance Philharmonic Orchestra 

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The Triple Alliance with Monash University Malaysia and Taylor’s University began in 2025; a joint student orchestra and a public performance that made a new partnership visible before its wider mobility, research and community programmes develop. 

5. Soulful Campus

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Sunway’s Campus with a Conscience philosophy uses the arts to turn sustainability into a shared global experience. In 2025, Rock the Goals marked the 10th anniversary of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, bringing together nearly 1,500 students, staff and guests, alongside representatives from the United Nations, UNICEF, European Union, World Health Organization and international diplomatic community. Music, performance and an adaptive fashion showcase transformed the SDGs into an inclusive cultural experience. 

Cultural Celebrations: Cultural Connections – A Celebration of Diversity

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Together, these pillars turn internationalisation from global reach into a lived culture of belonging, cultural exchange, responsibility and shared progress.