A Brief History of the University

As one of the entities within the Sunway Education Group, Sunway University has rapidly grown into a leading brand name in Malaysia’s higher education sector, gaining a name for itself as a high-quality private not-for-profit institution. Here are some of the milestones along our journey since our initial foundation in 2004.

2020

• Construction starts on the next campus building - a lakeside futuristic building providing new homes for the Business School and the School of Arts as well as a hub for community arts in Sunway City to feature a large concert hall and theatre
• The University rises to 701-750 in the QS World University Rankings 2021

2019

• Sunway University enters the QS World Rankings 2020 for the first time and achieves a ranking within the range of 751–780
• Sunway University is ranked within the top 150 young universities in the world (under 50 years old) for the first time by QS
• Two international collaborative research centres launched (The Future Cities Research Institute with Lancaster University, UK, and The Joint Research Centre on IT with Huizhou University, China)

2018

• Sunway University is placed 232nd in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings, placing it in the top 2% of universities in Asia
• Launch of Sunway University Press, the academic publishing arm of Sunway University
• Launch of iLABS Makerspace at Sunway University
• Sunway University becomes the first non-governmental linked private university to attain a 5 Star QS Rating

2017

• Sunway University gained its first international ranking in the QS Asia University Rankings, placing it in the top 2.5% of universities in Asia
• Sunway University became one of only eight universities in Malaysia to be awarded the status of Premier Digital Technology University
• Attained ISO 9001:2015 certification
• Awarded SETARA 5-star rating in the “Emerging University” category
• Partnership with Lancaster University extended for further ten years
• The total number of enrolled students surpassed 7,000

2016

• Launch of the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University
• Inaugural Cambridge-Oxford-Sunway Biomedical Symposium held at Sunway University

2015

• Official opening of Sunway University’s new 12-storey campus building
• Sunway University achieved its first international rating as an overall 4-star university with top 5-star ratings for teaching, facilities and employability by the QS ranking and rating agency
• The total number of enrolled students surpassed 5,000

2014

• Establishment of the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia at Sunway University

2011

• Sunway University College officially upgraded to full university status by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia and renamed as Sunway University
• The total number of enrolled students surpassed 2,500

2010

• Launch of the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, a charitable not-for-profit body taking ownership of institutions under the Sunway Education Group including Sunway University College
• Sunway University College established partnership with Le Cordon Bleu International, which grants professional certification to graduates from the former’s hospitality programme

2009

• Sunway University College received a 5-star “excellent” rating in the first official rating system for Malaysian universities and university colleges known as SETARA; the University continues to receive 5-star ratings in all subsequent SETARA exercises

2008

• First cohort of graduates with dual degrees from both Sunway University College and Lancaster University

2006

• Sunway University College established partnership with Lancaster University, UK, through which graduates can receive dual degrees from both institutions

2004

• The establishment of Sunway University College as an independent degree-awarding institution of the Sunway Education Group