Taking education to new heights of excellence

"Private education for many years followed a traditional path of academic rigour and set structure. It was a place for those who could not make it to public universities or for those who had to re-sit their Form 5 and Form 6 examinations or for those who pursued some vocational training. Medicine, law and engineering were the popular choices that parents wanted for their children. They were considered prestigious and professional.

In 1990, the winds of change blew through the sector, taking many by surprise. The term, creative technology, got some people wondering. It was new and novel. But who was Lim Kok Wing? So bold, so unconventional and so brazen in his approach.

Global changes

The Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology had arrived. Many in the industry dismissed the university as just another art school. These were the people not alert to global changes. Not attentive to the enormous changes brought about by technology advancement.

But young Malaysians had their fingers on the pulse of change. They were attracted to this new concept of creative technology. And they signed up, by the hundreds, for courses such as Electronic Design, Digital Animation, Web Design, Video Games, Film & Television, Multimedia and Broadcasting. Creativity and computer skills were made a central component to all the courses.

Business thinking

In three years, the industry began to feel the impact as Limkokwing graduates brought their technological expertise and their creative thinking into business and commerce. They provided the bridge needed for transition to new wave of business thinking. They provided the content needed to sharpen competitiveness and strengthen branding.

Industry since the 90s was reeling from the effects of globalisation and Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad had released a blueprint called Vision 2020. The economy was booming. People were motivated. Everyone was focused on a future that was promising and exciting.

The arrival of Limkokwing Institute helped the education sector rethink its priorities.

Creativity was being widely acknowledged as pivotal to Malaysia achieving its 2020 aspiration to become a fully developed nation.

Creativity was an essential component to transforming the nation to become a knowledge-based economy.

The Limkokwing Institute helped to convey the importance of this to parents and others in the industry. As a result, creative professions were given status and reputation.

Creative vision

Today there are thousands of students who have benefited from this single decision made by a man who had creative vision, who knew the importance of creativity to nation -building.

Tan Sri Dato’ Lim Kok Wing could have branched out into any industry to make his mark. He was succesful, well-known and well-respected in the corporate world. A self-made man, a philanthropist and a tycoon, he could have even retired if he had choosen to.

But in 1990 he set out on an endeavour others would shrink to undertake. The challenges were enormous. But Tan Sri Lim is a man stimulated by challenges. He thrives on proving his critics wrong. He sees opportunity where others see difficulties. And most of all, he felt he needed to give back to society.

His entry into education was trailblazing, trendsetting and pioneering.

He set new benchmarks on quality, not just on the academic side but also on the marketing of the university overseas. The sophisticated approach raised awareness and helped image position Malaysian education in overseas markets. The Ministry of International Trade and Industry recognised this with an award for Export Excellence, Services Category, of the 2002 Industry Excellence Award.

Within eight years, the school had become international with students from more than 40 countries choosing to study here. In 2003, the Ministry of Education awarded the school for having the highest enrolment of foreign students.

Trailblazing effort

In February 2003, within 12 years of inception, the school was upgraded to university status, the first creative university to obtain this distinction. The university’s impending move to Cyberjaya is another trailblazing effort by its founder president, Tan Sri Dato’ Lim Kok Wing, which signals a change in how learning in the 21st century has to be a combined effort involving government, academia and industry.

With this move, the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology is again raising standards for education in Malaysia."

Citation to mark the presentation of the Award for Excellence in Private Education to Limkokwing University by the National Association of Private Educational Institutions.

Citation, 4 October 2003

Copyright © 2012 Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. All Right Reserved.
Designed & maintained by World Wide Web Domination, Centre for Content Creation.