President John M. and Linda Dunn traveled to Malaysia in June to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a partnership between WMU and Sunway College near Kuala Lumpur. Over the years, this partnership has resulted in hundreds of international students at WMU, and changed the face of international education.
During their visit, the Dunns attended two gatherings that attracted hundreds of alumni living in Malaysia.
In 1987, Sunway College opened, launching the 'twinning program' that helped Malaysia emerge as a Southeast Asia regional center for education. The twinning program placed a WMU faculty member on site at Sunway to guide Malaysian students through their first two years of college studies before they traveled to WMU to complete their final two years of study and earn a bachelor's degree.
The model is now used to educate thousands of Malaysian students at more than 60 American colleges and universities as well as universities in such nations as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The Sunway program continues to bring new students to WMU each year, and WMU has established similar twinning programs in Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bolivia and Kenya.
While in Malaysia, President Dunn also signed several articulation agreements which will bring additional Malaysian students to WMU's Kalamazoo campus.
To read more about the history of this relationship, please follow the link below:
WMU NEWS — PRESIDENT DUNN HEADS TO MALAYSIA TO CELEBRATE 25-YEAR PARTNERSHIP