An eminent Malaysian education professional has been awarded the title of Doctor of Laws at the winter graduation ceremonies.

Professor Dato’ Elizabeth Lee is the Group CEO of Sunway Education Group, owned and governed by the not-for-profit Jeffrey Cheah Foundation.

She has been at the forefront of education innovation over many years, leading SEG to achieve many firsts, including the setting up of the first international branch campus in Malaysia with Lancaster University and the championing of dual degrees. Under her leadership since 1992, SEG has grown from just one institution into a dynamic group of over twenty, educating over 30,000 students from more than 90 countries.

More recently, she has been instrumental in the setting up of 42KL, a project-based coding school with no teacher, no entry requirement and no tuition fee.

Her honorary degree was conferred by Professor Simon Guy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global (Digital, International, Sustainability) who said: “Elizabeth has played a leading role in the development of the Lancaster/Sunway relationship since its inception over 17 years ago. Colleagues here at Lancaster remain enormously grateful to her for her wisdom and her friendship, which has led our partnership to be one of the most successful transnational education programmes in the world today, offering a model that is envied by many.”

Professor Dato’ Elizabeth Lee said she was deeply honoured.

“This moment is a reminder that success is never achieved alone. It comes from colleagues who support me, my family who believe in me and communities very much like Lancaster which continue to inspire me to be better. It is also a reminder of the values we at Sunway share with this institution, humility, integrity, excellence and the belief in using our work to make a difference in the world.

“I accept this honour not just with pride, but with a renewed sense of purpose, to uphold the values and ideals which come with the award, to give back in meaningful ways and to continue walking a path which will inspire others.”

Beyond her role with SEG, Professor Dato’ Elizabeth Lee is a thought-leader in the field of private higher education provision and her role in policy-direction has been recognised by the Malaysian government. She has served on the board of advisors of the National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN), a think tank under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. She is a former member of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) Council.

She holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Education from the University of Cambridge as well as many awards and accolades.

For her lifelong dedication and commitment in the field of education, she was bestowed the state title of Dato’ by His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah, the Sultan of Perak in 2022.