Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah was invited to address graduates at Victoria University’s graduation ceremony in Melbourne, Australia.
The Sunway Group founder and chairman drew on his own experiences which led to his lifelong commitment to education and giving back.
“I have always maintained that every one of us must have a higher purpose in life.
“For me, that higher calling is to help others build better lives, and a commitment to making a far-reaching impact on society.
“I chose education as the avenue to pursue that mission.
“The choice of education was based on my formative experience growing up in Pusing, Perak, where I witnessed first-hand how poverty shut down opportunities for many of my childhood friends.”
Marking a milestone in Victoria University’s history, the anniversary gala at Melbourne Town Hall saw Cheah honoured with the Victoria University 110th anniversary award for Global Impact in Education for his transformative contributions to education, business and society.
Cheah is an alumnus of Victoria University. He pursued accounting and business studies at its predecessor, the Footscray Institute of Technology.
His connection with the university has continued over the decades.
In 1993, he became the first person in the university’s history to receive an honourary doctorate, followed by the Distinguished Alumni Award and Centenary Hoadley Medal in 2016.
“I am deeply honoured, especially to receive this recognition from my alma mater.
“Education changed the course of my life and I have devoted much of my life to ensuring that more young people have the same opportunity.
“This award is also a recognition of what we can achieve when we make education accessible to all, regardless of their background.
“Education can indeed do so much good for humanity,” he said.
Today, Victoria University at Sunway stands as the institution’s longest-standing transnational education partnership, spanning 32 years and supporting more than 10,000 graduates in Malaysia as they pursue diverse careers across a wide range of industries.
The partnership continues to empower students to broaden horizons and build futures.
