Curtin Malaysia team wins prestigious Advance HE grant to drive inclusive education in Sarawak

Miri, Sarawak – 11 April 2025 – In a significant stride towards shaping an inclusive future for higher education in Sarawak, a team of academics from Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia), in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, has been awarded a prestigious £10,000 grant under the Advance HE Collaborative Development Fund 2024–2025.

Their research project, titled ‘Towards a More Inclusive Future: Is Sarawak Ready for Free Tertiary Education that Embraces Indigenous Diversity?’, will explore the region’s preparedness to implement inclusive, accessible tertiary education under the upcoming Sarawak Free Education initiative, slated for launch in 2026.

The project is led by Associate Professor Raymond Chiong Choo Wee, Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Engineering and Science, and supported by a dynamic interdisciplinary team comprising Dr. Fayrene Chieng Yew Leh, Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Business; Delon Chai, Associate Director of Learning and Teaching, School of Pre-U and Continuing Education (SPACE); Professor Tang Fu Ee, Curtin Malaysia’s Dean of Learning and Teaching; and Associate Professor Bibiana Lim Chiu Yiong, Head of Learning and Teaching Unit of Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus.

“This initiative could not be more timely,” said Associate Professor Chiong. “As Sarawak moves toward free tertiary education, we need to ensure that our systems and policies are ready to support students from marginalised and indigenous backgrounds, many of whom have historically faced barriers in accessing higher education.”

The project will examine the unique challenges faced by students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and provide practical, evidence-based recommendations to enhance their academic success, wellbeing, and sense of belonging. The research findings are expected to inform education policies not just in Sarawak, but across Southeast Asia, making it a regionally significant effort.

“This grant gives us a powerful opportunity to shape inclusive education policy at a pivotal moment,” Chiong added. “We hope to spark a broader conversation on equity and access – not only at Curtin and Swinburne but across the region.”

The project aligns with Advance HE’s 2024-2025 strategic theme, ‘Protecting Inclusion in Times of Change’, and is among a select group of funded projects recognised for driving innovative, collaborative solutions to global challenges in higher education under its Collaborative Development Fund, an annual initiative.

Advance HE is a globally respected UK-based organisation championing teaching excellence, leadership, and equity in higher education. Curtin Malaysia currently ranks second among Malaysian institutions for the number of Advance HE Fellows, underlining its commitment to excellence in learning and teaching.

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

Curtin Malaysia’s project team (from right) Professor Tang, Associate Professor Chiong, Chai, and Dr. Chieng