Driving Change Together: Sunway University Named in SDG Academy Annual Report 2025
Sunway’s position as a global hub, philanthropic champion, and academic partner for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been spotlighted in the SDG Academy Annual Report 2025. The report details the expanding partnership between Sunway, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in driving online master’s programs, workforce upskilling, and national education policy initiatives.
Philanthropic Leadership and Governance
The 2025 report gives prominent recognition to Tan Sri Sir Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, thanking them for their leadership and support that enable the SDG Academy to expand its global activities.
Sunway’s active involvement in governing the Academy’s global agenda is reflected through representation on the High-Level Advisory Council (HLAC) by Dr Elizabeth Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Sunway Education Group, and Dr. Jit Ern Chen of Sunway University. Additionally, the report notes that the SDG Academy operates its global work out of key regional hubs in Kuala Lumpur, New York, Dublin, and Paris.
Online Master’s Programs in Sustainable Development
The report highlights the growth of the Master in Sustainable Development Management (MSDM), offered by the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University. Designed for working professionals in Malaysia and internationally, the program enrolled 20 new online students and graduated five in the past year.
The report features student feedback illustrating the program's practical and personal impact, noting how the MSDM curriculum equips learners with the management acumen necessary to create innovative solutions for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). MSDSM student Mathiny Naido Khanis had this to say: "Throughout my life of education, for the very first time, the MSDM course and community has been an experience that I can understand and connect with."
Corporate Upskilling and Professional Training
In response to rising global demand for workforce upskilling, the SDG Academy expanded its professional development footprint in 2025. The report notes direct collaborations with private-sector partners to design tailored sustainability training, including customised workforce programs for the Sunway Group in Malaysia to help integrate ESG principles and sustainable practices across its business divisions.
Advancing National Teacher Training via Mission 4.7
Operating from SDSN’s Asia Headquarters, located at Sunway University, the Mission 4.7 team achieved key policy and school-level milestones featured in the report:
Pilot Teacher Training: Successfully completed a pilot ESD teacher training program to build capacity among Malaysian educators.
National Policy Alliance: Served as founding members of the National Strategic Alliance for Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education, collaborating directly with the Malaysian Ministry of Education to embed ESD frameworks into the 13th Malaysia Plan and the national Education Blueprint.
Regional Engagement: Co-organised and participated in high-level regional convenings, including the UNESCO ESD for 2030 Regional Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
You can read the SDG Academy Annual Report 2025 at the link below:
