Asian Women's Leadership Project Malaysia Berhad

The AWLUC, based in Penang, Malaysia, is a private, not-for-profit, international women’s liberal arts & sciences university in Asia, modelled along the tradition of the prestigious “Seven Sisters” colleges in the United States, which have produced graduates prominent in every field. As the establishing body of the AWLUC, the AWLP Malaysia Foundation, a registered charity in Malaysia, is dedicated to supporting establishment efforts, operational planning, and fundraising for the AWLUC.

AWLUC builds on central characteristics of an internationally diverse and leadership-oriented liberal arts and sciences institution, including the exploration of multiple fields of study, blended learning, smaller class sizes, global immersion and a residential experience – all in an Asian context. AWLUC will produce graduates who will be ready to work and ready to lead, by offering the necessary space and environment for the development of each student’s full leadership potential. Leadership development will be emphasised in all aspects of student experience and programmes will be purposefully designed to nurture and develop leadership skills and mindsets that equip women and men to take advantage of opportunities, act as prime movers in leading social transformation in their respective communities, and drive positive change globally.

Background:

The Asian Women’s Leadership University (AWLU) Project was founded in 2010 when three Smith College graduates with roots in Asia met through the Smith alumni network. As beneficiaries of the positive impact of a Seven Sisters college education, the founders wanted to extend the positive impacts of a supportive and empowering education to young women outside of the United States.

Through extensive discussions, the mission of the AWLUC was compiled and a Steering Committee established in 2018 to further pursue this project. AWLP Malaysia Berhad was established in 2019 as a charity in Malaysia to drive establishment efforts and strategy, and to raise funds for the university globally.

Curriculum:

The AWLUC will offer an English-medium undergraduate liberal arts and sciences curriculum with majors across a range of areas supplemented by leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship courses to women across Asia. The undergraduate concentration majors will be specially designed to respond to current regional and global concerns (including entrepreneurship, environmental issues and social justice) as well as match student and parent interest in future career opportunities. A foundation of intellectual (critical thinking, analytical skills, mastery of academic subject) and research capacities (writing, problem formulation, research methodology) will additionally feed into employment pathways through internships and applied learning opportunities on and off-campus. Beyond its undergraduate offerings, the AWLUC will also offer postgraduate courses and executive education courses aimed at advancing gender equity in Asia at a professional and C-Suite level.

Why Support the AWLUC?

The world needs leaders who can address issues of rising inequality and the urgent need for sustainable development. Additionally, the untapped potential of women remains a lost opportunity for economic growth and social development that the world can ill afford. According to IFC Corporate Governance Knowledge Publication of 2021, which reviewed 140 studies across 35 countries, numbers show that having more women in senior leadership positions increases business profitability, reduces risks, improves community engagement, and enhances the long-term viability of companies. Similarly, studies by more than 145 foundations show that the empowerment of women has been found to be the most effective strategy in addressing social issues like poverty and disease, as well as promoting overall economic growth and equity in communities. AWLUC sees its mission to cultivate future generations of women leaders as directly tied to a better future for our world.