Young leaders from Malaysia have been selected for the British Council’s prestigious global policy programme – Future Leaders Connect
They will be among 63 delegates from thirteen countries taking part in a six-week online policy and leadership programme, where they will gain exclusive access to policy experts and training, discuss their policy ideas with UK Parliamentarians and Government and be mentored by UK think tanks and other senior leaders.
In partnership with the prestigious Møller Institute at Cambridge University, Future Leaders Connect aims to help the delegates develop their skills, expand their networks and ultimately, make policy change.
The Malaysian delegates are David Lim, Manager of the Social Innovation Team at the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre; SeahShu Yen, a dentist; Wan Farihah Ahmad Fahmy,Capacity Building Officer on the Better Health Programme Malaysia and Zaim Mohzani, External Affairs Director of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific.
They will be joined by emerging leaders from around the world including Morocco, Egypt, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Poland, Kenya, Ukraine, Vietnam and the UK in a prestigious global network of next generation policy makers.
This year’s young leaders were selected from over 9,000 applicants worldwide in a competitive process where they pitched their innovative policy ideas for global change.
Congratulating the participants, Scott McDonald, British Council CEO, said: ‘We’re delighted to be able to announce the exceptional individuals from Malaysia to take part in this year’s global programme. Future Leaders Connect is an opportunity for emerging leaders in Malaysia to collaborate with their counterparts from all over the world, and to benefit from the sharing of ideas and knowledge in tackling global issues and challenges. We wish them every success in the weeks ahead.’
This year’s Future Leaders Connect programme runs for six weeks online until 19 November.Join the conversation online using #FutureLeadersConnect
Future Leaders Connect continues the British Council’s work, building connection, understanding and trust between people in the UK and overseas through arts, education and English language teaching. For more information on Future Leaders Connect or British Council, visit https://www.britishcouncil.org/future-leaders-connect.
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About Malaysia’s Future Leaders:
David Lim
Urban policy
David is Manager of the Social Innovation Team at the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre, a government agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. He has successfully run the National Social Enterprise Accreditation programme as well as other initiatives, including a social impact matching grant programme worth ten million Malaysian ringgit and a public social procurement programme worth 20 million that focused on sustaining and scaling social enterprises. David has worked in sustainability and social innovation for more than ten years and began his career as a finance professional in the agricultural biomass and urban waste upcycling industries. He holds a BSc in Accounting and Finance from the University of London (International Programme). David’s vision for global change is to encourage public policy, services and spending to deliver social value.
Shu Yen
Human rights
Seah Shu Yen is a dentist. She developed her organisational and leadership skills as the Head of Unit of a district primary care dental clinic, before a promotion gave her the opportunity to expand the clinic’s public services and lead the Malaysian National Oral Health Roadshow in 2019. Shu Yen pioneered the first district-level Inter-school Oral Health Awareness Competition, and won the Excellent Service Award in 2019. She joined the pre-specialisation training programme at the Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology Specialist Department in preparation for a master’s degree, and while there witnessed first-hand the need for equality and transparency in higher education. Shu Yen is now a passionate advocate of 21st-century learning and educational excellence. Shu Yen’s vision for global change is a world where everyone has an equal chance to achieve their ambitions.
Wan Farihah Ahmad Fahmy
Youth policy
Farihah is the Capacity Building Officer on the Better Health Programme Malaysia, a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-funded project. She leads curriculum design and delivery for obesity and noncommunicable disease prevention in low-resource urban communities. She also ensures that gender and social inclusion is mainstreamed across the project in compliance with UK regulations. Farihah empowers diverse community health volunteers to support communities in in-person and virtual settings. Her work has been shared with international audiences, including senior NHS and Ministry of Health Malaysia stakeholders, global and regional Better Health project delivery teams, and renowned academics. Farihah previously worked in education-oriented non-profits, government agencies and research teams studying intergenerational social mobility. As a Teach For Malaysia alumna, Global Girls Education Fellow and parent, she believes that developing a nation begins with investment in high-quality early childhood education and care. She has published articles on virtual community engagement, child marriage, universal school breakfast programmes, and accessible high-quality childcare. She holds a Master of Development Studies from University Malaya, a PGDE from Universiti Utara Malaysia, and a BA in Political Science and International Development Studies from McGill University. Farihah’s vision for global change is the development of an ecosystem of care that centres on child well-being.
Zaim Mohzani
Youth policy
Zaim is a public policy professional. He is currently the External Affairs Director of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, an internationally recognised think tank. One of the youngest chairs appointed to a government agency at 28 years old, Zaim is the Director and trustee of Impact Malaysia (under the Ministry of Youth and Sports). He has established three non-profit organisations that have reached more than 10,000 young people in the country. He has been selected as an Acumen Academy Fellow, a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, a US Department of State YSEALI Professional Fellow, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society and an Association of Southeast Asian Nations Youth Fellow. Zaim holds an MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy (Distinction) from London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, and a BA in Political Science from Monash University, Australia. He is a Chevening scholar and serves as the President of Chevening Alumni Malaysia. Zaim’s vision for global change is to end youth unemployment by encouraging governments to create a youth job guarantee.