Friday, 01 August 2025
The UK’s Minister for Skills heard how the launch of a new cancer research consortium is set to transform the way cancer is understood, diagnosed and treated around the globe, during a visit to the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) this week.
Baroness Smith was on UNM’s campus outside Kuala Lumpur on Thursday 31 July to co-host a roundtable discussion on the future of UK-Malaysia Transnational Education.
The event marks 25 years since UNM changed the face of UK higher education when, in September 2000, it opened its doors as the first ever overseas campus of a British university. The University of Nottingham’s status as a global university was cemented when it launched a second overseas campus in Ningbo, China, five years later.
The groundbreaking decision to open an overseas campus in Malaysia marked the beginning of a new era in global higher education and positioned the University of Nottingham as a pioneer in international academic collaboration.
Professor FitzPatrick added: “It is very fitting that Baroness Smith should be here to lead discussions around the future of transnational education as we reflect on the successes of the last 25 years and where the next quarter of a century may take us.
“We were particularly proud to have the opportunity to show the Minister our facilities and expertise in cancer research. These serve as a tangible example of how the overseas campus model can underpin international collaboration to drive innovation in global challenges which are a concern for us all but may affect us differently depending on who we are and where we live.”
I am delighted to welcome the launch of the University of Nottingham’s international cancer research consortium, which exemplifies the UK’s commitment to advancing global health through scientific collaboration and reflects the UK’s enduring leadership in higher education.
Baroness Smith added: "By harnessing the collective expertise of researchers across its campuses in the UK, China, and Malaysia, and working in partnership with institutions across the ASEAN region, this initiative represents a significant step forward in our shared fight against cancer.
“The integration of academic excellence, clinical insight, and industrial innovation will not only accelerate the pace of discovery but also ensure that the benefits of research are felt by patients and communities across the world."
Baroness Smith visited University of Nottingham Malaysia as part of a wider trade mission across Japan and Malaysia, kicking off proceedings with a tour of its cancer research and microbiology laboratories.
Baroness Smith met cancer researchers while touring the university's laboratories during her visit to UNM
The Minister met key academics including rising star Professor Ho Weang Kee, who is leading one of the largest genetic studies in the region into breast cancer, one of the biggest killers of Asian women, aiming to improve diagnosis by using statistical modelling to predict which women could be most at risk at a much earlier stage.
Tackling health inequities
The University of Nottingham has an established track record in bench to bedside innovation in cancer research. One of the largest cancer research centres in the UK, the university led the development of the Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI), which has been used to predict survival, categorize into prognostic groups, and guide treatment decisions in breast cancer management for millions of women around the world.
Current work is focused on reducing global health inequities through projects including a UK-Africa partnership to improve knowledge on cancer prevalence, incidence and interventions among non-European and North American populations and a new UK-Singapore Health Data partnership to improve datasets underpinning cancer research.
The university has announced the creation of a new cancer research consortium that will leverage expertise from its Schools of Pharmacy, Life Sciences, Psychology and Computer Science across its UK, Malaysia and China campuses in collaboration with healthcare and research partners, strengthening datasets, knowledge and understanding of cancer in different ethnicities, genders, ages and geographies.
The collaboration will bring the university together with Cancer Research Malaysia, six medical facilities in five countries and five industrial partners across the ASEAN region and the State of Sarawak Cancer Research Centre due to be completed in 2026, with Cancer Research in the Philippines and Kankur Institut Indonesia planned to also come on board.
The lab visit was followed by a roundtable on transnational education, bringing together key UK HE providers in Malaysia, including the universities of Heriot-Watt, Lancaster, Liverpool John Moores, Newcastle, Reading and Southampton with senior representatives from the Department for Education, the British High Commission and the British Council.
Baroness Smith and UNM Provost Professor David FitzPatrick during the roundtable event on the future of transnational education in Malaysia
Since UNM was launched in 2000, Malaysia has developed into a strategic hub for UK TNE, hosting one of the largest concentrations of UK branch campuses and collaborative programmes outside of the UK. With nearly 50,000 students enrolled in UK qualifications delivered in Malaysia, UK institutions have played a pivotal role in supporting the country’s ambition to become a regional education hub, contributing to talent development, research collaboration and the internationalisation of higher education.
Discussion focused on the global reputation and value of the UK’s higher education sector, emerging trends in student demand and lifelong learning, as well as opportunities for innovation and collaboration across the sector and with industry partners to ensure the continued relevance and growth of UK education in the region and around the world.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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