Curtin Malaysia strengthens global teaching standards with growing number of Advance HE Fellows

Miri, Sarawak – 20 August 2025 – Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) has emerged as a national leader in Advance HE Fellowships, with the highest number of affiliated academics among Malaysian institutions and the most Fellows of any Australian university in the country. The university is also seeing a rapid rise in the number of Senior Fellows, ranking among the top in Malaysia in this prestigious category.

Advance Higher Education (Advance HE) is a globally recognised non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving higher education for staff, students, and society. Its Fellowship programme is an internationally benchmarked professional recognition for teaching excellence in higher education, awarded across four categories – Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow, and Principal Fellow – based on evidence of teaching practice that aligns with its Professional Standards Framework.

The recognition of Curtin Malaysia’s academics as Fellows underscores the university’s commitment to providing global-standard higher education and teaching excellence, a cornerstone of its strategic vision. Fellows are acknowledged not only for exceptional teaching but also for leadership, innovation, and mentoring in learning and teaching.

“I am immensely proud of this achievement, which stands as a testament to our commitment to learning and teaching excellence,” said Professor Tang Fu Ee, Dean of Learning and Teaching at Curtin Malaysia. “This national-level recognition reflects the calibre of our educators and ensures that our students enjoy an enriching and transformative learning experience. While we celebrate, we remain focused on continuously innovating, sharing best practices, and supporting our educators so our students benefit from the highest quality education.”

A total of 16 academics were awarded Fellowships across the Senior Fellow, Fellow, and Associate Fellow categories in the 2025 round, further strengthening Curtin Malaysia’s standing in teaching excellence.

Among the four latest awardees, Mohammad Belayet Hossain, a Senior Fellow, said the recognition will enable him to apply evidence-based pedagogical frameworks, such as constructivist and Outcome-Based Education principles, more strategically across his modules, while mentoring colleagues in embedding effective learning design. “I will be able to guide peers in aligning assessment strategies with learning outcomes, incorporating technology-enhanced learning, and using Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes to raise teaching standards,” he added.

Chong Yu, a Fellow, shared that her teaching is driven by the simple motto, “Learning should be fun.” Seeing students value literacy in all forms, appreciate the learning journey, and pursue their passions fuels her continuous innovation in research and pedagogy. Encouraging others to apply for fellowship, she said, “Learning is trying. As educators, we ask our students to try fearlessly – it’s time we do the same. Your teaching journey is fellowship-worthy, so try.”

Praveena A/P Munianday, an Associate Fellow, said she takes pride in designing authentic, real-world learning experiences, especially for students in construction project management and quantity surveying, ensuring they see the value of what they learn beyond exams. “I place a strong emphasis on inclusive practice, routinely assessing for understanding and providing alternative formats to support learning. The AFHEA journey gave me the chance to pause and reflect on these practices, and I’m grateful for that,” she explained. She encourages colleagues to see the fellowship application as “a chance to reflect on how far you’ve come as an educator – not just a form-filling exercise.”

Meanwhile, Timothy Ting, also a Fellow, said the real value of the fellowship lies in the reflective process that sharpens teaching practice and advances inclusive learning. Looking ahead, he is focusing on enhancing student engagement through interactive activities that make learning both meaningful and memorable, saying, “It’s about creating fun and valuable memories as part of university life, not just delivering content.”

These accomplishments follow Curtin Malaysia’s impressive record in Advance HE initiatives. In 2024, Dr. Noraisikin Sabani and Dr. Anita Jimmie received the Advance HE Global Impact Grant – a first for the campus – for their groundbreaking project on personalised learning for inclusive education, showcased globally as a model of educational innovation.

This year, in 2025, Associate Professor Raymond Chiong and a multidisciplinary team from Curtin Malaysia, alongside collaborators from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, secured a £10,000 Advance HE Collaborative Development Fund grant for a pioneering study on the readiness of Sarawak’s higher education system to provide free, inclusive tertiary education under Sarawak’s Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) commencing in 2026. The findings are set to influence education policy not only in Sarawak but across Southeast Asia.

“These achievements reaffirm Curtin Malaysia’s position as a leader in advancing teaching quality, inclusivity, and innovation on both national and regional fronts,” said Professor Vincent Lee Chieng Chen, Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive of Curtin Malaysia. “They reflect our dedication to preparing graduates who are globally competitive, industry-ready, and socially responsible, while supporting our educators to reach the highest international standards.”

With the number of Advance HE Fellows at Curtin Malaysia continuing to grow, the university remains committed to leveraging global best practices to meet the evolving needs of students and society – ensuring its graduates and educators remain at the forefront of higher education excellence.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit curtin.edu.my or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or TikTok.

Curtin Malaysia’s newest Fellows (L-R) Mohammad Belayet Hossain, Chong Yu, Praveena Munianday, and Timothy Ting.