Relationships with Regional NGOs and Government for SDG Policy
SDG 17.2.1
In alignment with SDG 17, Sunway University is committed to fostering sustainable, impactful partnerships across local, national, and international levels. Through collaborations with governments, NGOs, and industry leaders, we actively contribute to initiatives that promote sustainable development.
A notable example of our expertise in action is Associate Professor Dr. Chen Jit Ern, who plays a pivotal role in the Malaysia Smart City Alliance (MSCA). As the Vice Chairman of MSCA, Dr Chen is responsible in leading strategic initiatives, fostering collaboration between smart-city stakeholders (smart city leaders and city builders, forward-thinking governments, corporations, entrepreneurs, and academic innovators) to address critical issues in smart city development, and driving the development and implementation of smart city solutions across Malaysia.
For more information on MSCA, click below.
At the regional level, another expertise, Professor Dr. Mahendhiran Sanggaran Nair has been appointed as Chair of ASEAN STI Ecosystem Foresight 2035 in the ASEAN Future Alliance (AFA), an alliance focused on building a robust Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem to drive economic growth, community empowerment, and environmental sustainability toward ASEAN 2035 goals.
Under Professor Dr Mahendhiran’s leadership, the alliance will apply the 10-10 MySTIE Framework, examining ten Science and Technology drivers, ten socioeconomic transformation areas, and ten Forces of Change shaping the region. This study aims to strengthen ASEAN’s STI capacity, shaping a vision for ASEAN beyond 2025.
The alliance will gather insights from thought leaders and experts, and a comprehensive report will be presented for adoption at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology, and Innovation (AMMSTI) in June 2024. This will help ASEAN face future challenges with coordinated STI planning and action.
The Asia Regional Chapter of the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) partnered with the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2022-2023 to explore strategies for preventing and mitigating “zoonotic spillover” of high-risk pathogens originating from the live animal supply chain in Southeast Asia. Notably, this project involved Sunway University’s esteemed Provost and Professor of Genetics, Professor Dr. Abhimanyu Veerakumarasivam, as Co-Chair of the INGSA-Asia Organizing Committee.
This initiative, launched in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic—which had caused millions of deaths and left lasting impacts worldwide—aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing global health, environmental sustainability, and economic stability. In response to these challenges, INGSA and the National Academies developed a guidebook for professionals focused on reducing zoonotic spillover risks, with an emphasis on Southeast Asia and China.
A series of data-gathering workshops was conducted to bring together local, regional, and international experts to discuss the dynamics of zoonotic spillover, key factors and challenges in risk mitigation, best practices for outbreak prevention and containment, and the effectiveness of current tools for combating zoonotic diseases. These workshops also engaged experts and key stakeholders involved in regulating or influencing the management of the regional animal supply chain. The final in-person meeting was held at Sunway University in mid-2023, where participants provided initial feedback on a draft of the guidebook and took part in participatory exercises focused on its core messages.
