New Students’ Induction Programme for the Master of Arts in Leadership Development (MALD)
On 6 September 2025, the New Students’ Induction Programme for the Master of Arts in Leadership Development (MALD) warmly welcomed incoming students to the university community. The induction was designed to help students familiarize themselves with the university’s mission, the academic and administrative framework of the MALD programme, and the wide range of resources available to support their postgraduate journey.
The day began with a heartfelt welcome from Prof. Sushila K Chang, Vice Chancellor and CEO, who emphasised the university’s vision and mission while encouraging students to embrace leadership, uphold ethical conduct, and strive for academic excellence. This was followed by an address from Prof. Khoo Hoon Eng, Co-founder of AWLUC, who shared the university’s founding principles, its journey, and its enduring commitment to cultivating future leaders.
Prof. Johan Saravanamuttu, Programme Head for Postgraduate Studies, then led sessions introducing key aspects of the MALD programme, from academic integrity and postgraduate-level methodologies to support services, administrative processes, and available financial assistance. Delivered by faculty members and senior administrators, these sessions provided valuable guidance to help students feel prepared, confident, and supported as they began their studies. The students were amazing and almost immediately embraced the premise with camaraderie and goodwill. It was clear that MALD will be like no other programme in Malaysia or the region as it will be supported by teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking. The programme concluded with an engaging dialogue between students and faculty, laying a strong foundation for a supportive, collaborative, and enriching postgraduate learning environment.
The students and staff have already started to use these skills in developing a list of restaurants to visit in Penang over the coming weeks!
