The British Council is marking our 70 years in Malaysia with a month-long celebration starting 15 November at our centres nationwide.
We are counting down the days to 15 November on our social media channels with goodie bags, free placement tests, tips, and gifts up for grabs. Current students who have their birthdays in November are in for a special treat too!
During the period of 15 November to 18 December 2018, anyone who signs up for a course will also have a chance to win an iPad weekly.
Visit www.britishcouncil.my and follow ‘British Council Malaysia’ on social media.
70 Years of cultural relations and educational opportunities
The British Council has been working with Malaysia since 1948. In 2018 we marked this 70th anniversary with a series of events celebrating cultural relations and exchange between the UK and Malaysia. We hosted two major British Council conferences, Going Global in May with over 1000 visitors from 60 countries, and New Directions in October with 500 visitors from 29 countries.
In 2010, we ran the English Language Teacher Development Project in East Malaysia, the largest British Council teacher mentoring programme to date, involving 600 schools and over 4,000 teachers. From 2011 to 2015, we worked with the Ministry of Education to train and mentor 14,000 teachers of English across Malaysia.
Our work with the UK international education sector plays a critical role in connecting UK institutions with not only prospective students but various education stakeholders in Malaysia. The Study UK exhibitions we have been running for close to 20 years attract up to 10,000 visitors annually, providing prospective Malaysians a platform to meet and speak to UK institutions.
Malaysia is also a world leader in transnational education, with the UK leading the way in the number of partnerships in the country. In 2016/17, these partnerships have benefited close to 70,000 students undertaking a UK qualification in Malaysia.
Our work in science focuses on strengthening the capacity of those who work in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), facilitating collaborations for enhanced research outcomes and creating a supportive environment for science development, translation and innovation.
Since 2014, with an investment of around GBP8 million shared between the UK and Malaysian governments under the Newton Ungku-Omar Fund, we have created 44 UK-Malaysia universities partnerships through Institutional Link grants, benefited at least 600 early career researchers through the awarding of 21 Research Link grants, and contributed to four collaborations into improving Dengue Technology.
Through our work in science communication, we have combined our expertise in English language and international networks to support researchers to use this skill in bridging the gap between science and society, enhancing equality and diversity in science. We have trained 129 individuals since 2015 and nurtured two global FameLab winners (2016 and 2018).
A major focus in our arts programme this year is in the craft sector, where we share the best of UK design and innovation with women and girls, aiming to preserve their cultural heritage and introduce skills to enable an improved quality of life. We hosted the Crafting Futures Southeast Asia Craft Forum on 23 October 2018 at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. This was the first time such a forum was held in Malaysia, where key stakeholders from Southeast Asia were gathered to discuss the future of the craft industry.
We are also working to develop the creative economy by introducing the first programme in Malaysia focusing on capacity building for creative hub managers and leaders.
We aim to contribute to inclusive economic growth in Malaysia through our social enterprise programme. Our work draws on UK and global experience and is delivered with local and international partners. In 2012, we led a three-year programme to support business development of social enterprises who are today leading advocates for the ecosystem.
In 2017, our Social Economy and Investment Conference brought together international experts, 500 delegates and saw the launch of a Social Outcomes Fund. In the same year, the British Council brought former MP and author of the UK Public Services (Social Value) act, Chris White, to accelerate social procurement in Malaysia. This year, we are conducting a baseline study on the economic contribution of social enterprises to the Malaysian economy, aiming to help support evidence driven decision making for local players in the sector.
Premier Skills, a partnership between the Premier League and the British Council, is celebrating 10 years in Malaysia developing a brighter future for young people through football. Since 2009, the programme has trained over 200 community coaches and referees throughout the country and extended its reach to marginalised groups such as women, rural communities, people with disabilities, and refugees.
With a team of around 200, we currently teach around 5,300 students a month in our three centres in Kuala Lumpur, Damansara, and Penang, and deliver examinations to over 30,000 test takers each year.