An Audience with Tun Dr Mahathir

Sean Matthews from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures is part of a research project making an international comparative study of the practices relating to autonomy and governance in Higher Education, funded by the Sime Darby Corporation and in partnership with the Malaysian thinktank IDEAS (Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs). Sean was part of the team which interviewed the former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir at his office in Putrajaya.



Sean’s questions related to the determinants, objectives and impact of Mahathir’s ‘Look East’ and ‘Islamization’ in relation to the development of Malaysia’s universities, and also about the former PM’s thoughts concerning the appropriate relations between politicians, the state and Higher Education, specifically in developing nations. Sean will give a number of talks on the topic in a series of events in Kuala Lumpur in 2017, as well as preparing a policy briefing for the Malaysian Minister of Education.