Sunway Deepens Ties with Harvard and MIT
During a recent visit to Boston, Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Sir Jeffrey Cheah and Sunway University president Professor Sibrandes Poppema met with Harvard University president Claudine Gay (centre) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) president Sally Kornbluth (left) to discuss avenues to expand collaborations between Sunway University and both institutions.
Both leaders also congratulated Tan Sri chairman on his honorary knighthood conferred by His Majesty King Charles III.
Dean of Harvard Medical School George Q. Daley (centre) hosted a luncheon in appreciation of Tan Sri chairman's generous endowment to establish the Jeffrey Cheah Professorship of Global Health and Social Medicine at the school, and celebrate the inaugural incumbent Professor Mercedes Becerra (right), a pioneering academic in the field of tuberculosis whose outstanding research work is matched by her commitment to helping the marginalised and underserved throughout the world.
"I have always believed that to be the best, we must work with the best and learn from the best. When it comes to defining the best, Harvard is right up there at the top. I look forward to strenghtening the partnership between Sunway and Harvard - a partnership based on mutual respect, trust and shared values," said Tan Sri chairman at the luncheon.
With Harvard Medical School chair of global health sciences and social medicine Vikram Patel.
With Harvard University vice provost for international affairs Mark Elliot and Harvard Kennedy School dean of faculty Doug Elmendorf.
With Harvard Kennedy School Jeffrey Cheah Professor of South-East Asia Studies Rema Hanna, executive director Fatema Sumar and director Asim Khwaja, both at the Harvard University Center for International Development.
With Harvard Medical School dean for external education David H. Roberts, professor of medical anthropology in global health and social medicine Arthur Kleinman, dean for research operations and global programs David Golan.
At MIT, Tan Sri chairman and Prof. Poppema met with chancellor for academic advancement Eric Grimson.
MIT School of Engineering dean Anantha Chandrakasan (centre) joined the Jeffrey Cheah Career Development Chair and Associate Professor of Material Science and Engineering Rafael Gomez-Bombarelli (right) to brief Tan Sri chairman and Prof. Poppema on the school's groundbreaking research into carbon capture as well as novel materials discovery for practical applications in energy conversion and storage.
As a member of the Harvard Global Advisory Council, Tan Sri chairman also joined Harvard's leadership as well as leaders in business, academic and philanthropy from around the world to reflect upon the university's role in a rapidly changing global landscape, and the responsibilities an institution like Harvard can play to advance a more inclusive, progressive and sustainable future for all.
Tan Sri chairman also engaged with Malaysian students and researchers at Harvard during his visit.
As Tan Sri chairman has always maintained, "it is my lifelong dream for Sunway University to one day be known as 'Harvard of the East.' I am aware, of course, that this may not happen in my lifetime, but I'm laying the groundwork for this vision to be realised by those who come after me."
