UTAR held the launching ceremony for the “ASEAN Research Centre for a Community with Shared Future” (ACSF) on 15 April 2025 at its Sungai Long Campus, officially announcing the commencement of the centre’s operations.
The centre, jointly established by the UTAR Tun Tan Cheng Lock Institute of Social Studies and Communication University of China (CUC) Institute for a Community with Shared Future, was the first of its kind in the ASEAN region to be established within a university. It aimed to promote ASEAN-focused research and enhance regional and international collaboration, a significant milestone in Malaysia-China academic exchanges.
UTAR President Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat stated that Malaysia’s multiethnic and harmonious coexistence was a living embodiment of the “Community with a Shared Future” concept. He also mentioned that ASEAN’s population of 660 million is marked by ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity, and only through mutual respect and cooperation could sustainable development be achieved. The core vision of the ASEAN Research Centre for a Community with Shared Future was to promote regional harmony, inclusiveness, and collaboration. During the unveiling ceremony, Prof Dato’ Ewe also noted that “shared future” and “community with a shared future” had become mainstream values today.
“The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with the concepts of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), are driven by the vision of a shared and sustainable future for the planet. UTAR’s educational philosophy, which emphasises six key values—moral, intellectual, physical, social, aesthetic, and innovative development—reflects this same concept. The value of ‘social’ reflects the community with a shared future. Only through collective effort and unity could a stronger society be built,” said Prof Dato’ Ewe. He also added that the centre aspires to become a leading academic platform and a vital bridge connecting ASEAN with the rest of the world.
Prof Dato’ Ewe delivering his speech
Meanwhile, Prof Wang Sixin, Deputy Dean of the Institute for a Community with Shared Future at CUC, emphasised that the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind has been incorporated into numerous documents of major international organisations such as the United Nations. Over the past decade, the concept has gained broad recognition across the international community, and its theoretical underpinnings continue to evolve and expand. He noted that China and Malaysia are both emerging economies and important developing economies in Asia, and their bilateral relationship carried growing strategic significance.
He expressed his hope that with the formal establishment of the centre, collaboration between the two universities will reach new heights. The centre will also become a key platform for researching and promoting the idea of a shared future, contributing knowledge and impactful academic output to the development of a Malaysia–China community with a shared future.
Prof Wang delivering his speech
Dr Soon Thean Bee, Chairman of the ACSF at UTAR, stated that the centre is a symbol of cross-border collaboration based on shared values and academic dialogue, rather than political agendas. It serves as a “living bridge” that connects people from different nations.
Dr Soon delivering her speech
During the launch ceremony, Prof Wang Sixin also presented certificates of appointment to 11 scholars from the centre, recognising them as Special Research Fellows of the Institute for a Community with Shared Future at CUC.
Since the centre began its operations on 1 January this year, it has brought together multidisciplinary experts from UTAR and will continue to recruit researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and postgraduate students. To date, the centre has maintained a monthly column with Sin Chew Daily, featuring rotating contributions from scholars at ACSF, the Institute for a Community with Shared Future at CUC, and members from 21 affiliated research centres around the world. It also plans to invite international scholars as visiting researchers to broaden and deepen its research scope. Beyond academic research, the centre will host public lectures on international issues, training courses, and collaborative projects between academia and industry, encouraging active public participation in addressing global and regional challenges.
The event was attended by Centre for New Inclusive Asia President Mr Koh King Kee, CUC Institute for a Community with Shared Future Deputy Dean Prof Dr Liu Fenghai, Institute for a Community with Shared Future International Affairs Coordinator Ms Sun Yuhong, TCLI Director Assoc Prof Dr Chin Yee Mun, Pacific Research Centre of Malaysia Principal advisor and Singapore Institute of International Affairs Senior Fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun, The Association of Graduates from Universities and College of China Malaysia President Mr Lim Kok Yan and CUC Alumni of Malaysia President Mr Lew Wai How.
From left: Dr Oh, Dr Soon, Ms Sun, Prof Liu, Prof Wang, Prof Dato’ Ewe, Mr Koh, Mr Lim, Mr Lew, and Dr Chin
Guests and the audience at the launch
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