Spotlight
Building a better university
INTI International University's leaders reflect on four decades of growth and the work they believe will matter most as higher education enters a period of rapid change.
16 September 2026
As INTI International University celebrates its 40th anniversary and continues to progress in the QS rankings, QS Insights speaks to Dr Chong Kok Wai, CEO of INTI International University & Colleges; Prof Ts Dr Wong Ling Shing, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation); Prof Dr Goh Khang Wen, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement); and Dr Arasu Raman, Director of the Environmental, Social & Governance Centre, about the work behind that progress — from research and internationalisation to sustainability — and how the university plans to evolve for the next 40 years.
QS: Congratulations on INTI’s 40th anniversary. How has the university developed and changed over its history? Has the core mission adapted, or has it remained consistent?
Dr Chong: INTI began in 1986 and started expanding its international partnerships as early as 1991. Over the past 40 years, more than 95,000 students have studied at INTI.
During this time, INTI has developed significantly in its scale, academic offerings, international exposure and approach to education. We have grown from an institution focused primarily on providing quality tertiary education in Malaysia into a globally connected university and education group, with students and academic collaborations extending across borders.
Technology and industry needs have also changed the way we educate. Today, we place greater emphasis on employability, industry engagement, innovation, research, digital capabilities and preparing students for a rapidly changing world.
What has remained consistent is our purpose: to provide students with a quality education that prepares them for their careers and lives. Regardless of how education changes, our responsibility remains the same: to develop graduates who are capable, adaptable, ethical and confident enough to contribute to society.
For me, the greatest achievement of the past 40 years is not simply how much INTI has grown, but the generations of students who have gone on to contribute through their professions, organisations and communities.
QS: Since entering into the QS Asia Region Rankings in 2021 and the QS World University Rankings in 2024, INTI has experienced impressive growth. In Asia, the university has improved from band 400-450 to 122 in the 2026 edition, while in the world, it has gone from outside the top 500 to almost the top 400. Was this a concerted effort from the university?
Dr Chong: Yes, the improvement was part of a deliberate, long-term strategy. However, the ranking itself was never the end goal. Our objective was to strengthen the fundamentals of the University, with the improvement in rankings providing external recognition of that progress.
We focussed on strengthening research and publications, improving academic reputation and international engagement, increasing collaboration with industry and overseas partners, enhancing student employability, and ensuring that our academic and institutional practices meet international standards.
This required alignment across the University. Rankings cannot be improved by one department or one initiative alone. Academic quality, research, internationalisation, industry engagement, student outcomes, reputation and institutional governance must move together.
Most importantly, we have sought to build sustainable capabilities instead of pursuing short-term ranking gains. The QS results indicate that we are moving in the right direction, but they also remind us that we must continue improving. Our ambition is not simply to be ranked higher; it is to become a better university.
QS: In terms of the initiatives implemented by the university, what were the key areas targeted for the rankings growth and what are the future priorities?
Dr Chong: Our approach has focused on the areas that determine the quality and reach of a university: academic standards, student outcomes, research and innovation, international engagement, industry collaboration, employability and sustainability.
Progress in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 provides another indication of how these efforts are developing across different disciplines. INTI was ranked 251–300 for Business, 301–375 for Accounting and Finance, and 401–450 for both Computer Science and Social Sciences and Management.
The priority now is to continue building depth and quality in these areas and ensure that our progress contributes to better learning, stronger research, wider opportunities and improved outcomes for students.
Prof Wong: In research, INTI has pursued a multi-pronged strategy focused on establishing a clear research identity, building high-impact collaborations and encouraging innovation relevant to industry and society.
The INTI Innovation Gallery, launched at the Nilai campus in 2025, provides a dedicated space to showcase research by faculty members and students, including prototypes and industry-linked projects. This makes the University’s research activities more visible and reinforces our commitment to addressing practical challenges through research.
INTI has also established five ESG-focused research centres: the Centre for Sustainable Business Innovation and Corporate Responsibility; Centre for Data Science and Sustainable Technologies; Centre for Sustainable Engineering Solutions; Centre for Health, Well-being and Environmental Sustainability; and Centre for Education and Sustainable Development Strategies. These centres provide internal grants and support multidisciplinary projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Examples include research into substrate formulations using paddy husks, palm oil residues, coconut husks and banana waste for sustainable mushroom cultivation, as well as the use of virtual reality in immersive language classrooms.
Our next priority is to produce research that delivers practical benefits to society and local communities while gaining greater national and international recognition. Such recognition can also support access to grants and funding for the continued development of our research centres.
Prof Goh: Internationalisation has been guided by two connected approaches: “Bring the World to INTI” and “Bring INTI to the World”. We have developed an ecosystem linking short-term visits, semester exchanges, further study, faculty engagement and research collaboration.
We began introducing short-term study tours in 2022. In 2024, study tours and summer camps reached more than 1,700 incoming students. Semester mobility has since overtaken short-term study tours, with more than 2,000 inbound and outbound mobility participations annually.
Faculty engagement has developed alongside student mobility. Academics accompanying visiting students deliver guest lectures, participate in knowledge-transfer activities and collaborate with INTI colleagues on research and joint publications. INTI has also hosted and co-hosted international conferences with partner universities.
Our next priority is to “Bring INTI to the World”. Through collaborative programme delivery and academic pathways, “Study Locally, Graduate Globally” aims to enable students to access an INTI education while studying in their home countries. We also plan to deepen joint teaching, faculty exchanges, research collaboration and opportunities for students to gain international experience.
QS: Within the rankings, the indicators can often be looked at in exclusion of the rest, leading to a focus on one measure of reputation without an appreciation for how other measures can complement and play into each other. How does INTI connect these indicators as well as the work across the university?
Dr Chong: We do not view the indicators as separate targets. They are different ways of assessing the quality, reach and outcomes of the University’s work.
Research is connected with academic collaboration and institutional reputation. International engagement contributes to student and faculty mobility, teaching and research. Industry relationships support curriculum relevance, applied learning and graduate employability. Progress therefore depends on academic and professional teams understanding how their work contributes to the University’s wider goals.
Rankings cannot be improved by one department or one initiative alone. Academic quality, research, internationalisation, industry engagement, student outcomes, reputation and institutional governance must move together.
Prof Goh: Our internationalisation ecosystem provides one example of how these areas support one another. A short-term visit can lead to a semester exchange, while a successful exchange may encourage a student to return for further study. An initial discussion between academics can similarly develop into guest teaching, knowledge exchange, research collaboration or a joint publication.
In this way, international engagement contributes to mobility, teaching, research, institutional partnerships and the University’s wider international profile.
Dr Arasu: Sustainability provides another example. INTI has established the University Sustainability Action Council, comprising senior leadership, the Student Union and representatives from academic and professional functions across the University.
The Council supports the integration of sustainability into institutional planning, implementation, collaboration, reporting and sustainability literacy. This enables the University to address sustainability across departments rather than through a single department.
QS: Why does INTI see this type of work as important to its mission?
Dr Chong: INTI’s purpose is to provide students with a quality education that prepares them for their careers and lives. Strengthening teaching, research, international engagement, industry collaboration and institutional governance supports that purpose.
The work behind the rankings affects the relevance of what students learn, the international and industry exposure available to them, and the opportunities they have after graduation. It also strengthens the environment in which our academic staff teach, conduct research and collaborate.
Rankings provide an external reference point through which we can assess our progress against international standards. However, their value lies in what they indicate about the University's development.
Our goal is to build sustainable capabilities that improve academic quality and student outcomes. If rankings improve as a result, they provide useful recognition, but the real measure of success is whether we are becoming a better university for our students and community.
QS: INTI is part of the UN’s Higher Education Sustainability Initiative. How is INTI participating and contributing to that initiative, and where do you see universities playing even bigger roles in sustainability?
Dr Arasu: INTI joined the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative community in 2025. HESI provides a platform to share practices, learn from peer institutions and contribute to the wider sustainability agenda. In 2025, we registered our RISE and EcoRise projects with HESI as part of our participation.
Our involvement forms part of a broader institutional commitment that includes sustainability education, research and innovation, campus environmental management, community engagement, ESG governance and reporting, and partnerships with government, industry, schools and universities.
The University Sustainability Action Council supports coordination of this work. Its members include the Vice-Chancellor, Chief Executive Officer, ESG Director, Pro Vice-Chancellors, Student Union and representatives from academic and professional functions across the University.
INTI has also pledged to work towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 through the Race to Zero for Universities and Colleges. We are progressively using the campus as a living laboratory, with work covering energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, recycling, sustainable transport, green spaces and carbon reduction.
EcoRise Southeast Asia, launched in 2025 by INTI’s ESG Centre, brings together students, educators and communities across Southeast Asia. It focuses on SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Through climate literacy activities, workshops and mentoring, students are encouraged to develop responses to environmental challenges.
EcoRise was named a finalist in the Creating Impact category of the International Green Gown Awards 2026 and was subsequently recognised as a Commended Winner in the same category.
Research and innovation are also important parts of our sustainability strategy. Between 2023 and 2025, INTI recorded an overall total of 4,597 SDG-aligned research publication entries across all 17 SDGs. As multidisciplinary publications may relate to several SDGs, this figure represents the overall mapping total rather than a count of unique publications.
Universities have a larger role to play because they sit at the intersection of knowledge, young people, research, innovation and communities. They should give students opportunities to experience sustainability, research it, innovate around it and apply solutions in the real world.
INTI’s next phase will focus on measurable and evidence-based impact. Our priorities include accelerating the net-zero 2030 pathway, strengthening sustainability reporting, expanding sustainability education, supporting youth climate action, growing interdisciplinary research and deepening partnerships with government and industry.
QS: What are the aims for INTI in the next 40 years?
Dr Chong: Over the next 40 years, I would like INTI to be recognised not only as a leading university in Malaysia, but also as an institution with a strong global reputation for producing graduates who are relevant, resilient and ready for the future.
The world our students will enter will be very different from the one we know today. Artificial intelligence, automation, new industries, demographic changes and sustainability will reshape work and society. Our responsibility is to ensure that INTI continues to evolve ahead of these changes.
Academic excellence and student outcomes must remain at the heart of what we do. We also need to strengthen research, innovation and industry partnerships so that knowledge created within the University can lead to practical outcomes. Internationalisation must remain a defining strength, supported by investment in our people, technology and learning environment.
However, our aspirations cannot be measured only through rankings, numbers or infrastructure. When people look back at INTI 40 years from now, I hope they will say that INTI changed lives, created opportunities and contributed positively to Malaysia and the world. That would be the true measure of our next 40 years.