Kuching: Limkokwing University of Creative Technology plans to build campuses in 20 more countries in the next five years. The university’s founder president Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing said here yesterday the campuses would be in countries “where we can make a difference, where we can make a contribution”.

This, he said, included Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe.

He was speaking after the opening of the university’s Sarawak campus in Jalan Nanas by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Lim said the long-term plan over 10 years was to build 30 or more campuses. “The global economic downturn may slow us down but we will get there. Our target is 30,000 students across 30 countries in 10 years.”

The university has 12 campuses in seven countries: Indonesia, China, Cambodia, Lesotho, Botswana, United Kingdom and Malaysia.

Its 25,000 students come from 145 countries. The Sarawak campus has more than 500 students from 10 countries.

Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology Sarawak chief executive officer Prof Datuk Parid Wardi said while the institute had set a target to become a full university in 10 years, its short-term goal was to gain university college status within three years.

He said the institute hoped to have more linkages, industry collaboration and collegial networking with foreign educational institutions.