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APRU SDG Education for Global Welcoming Speech

Citizenship Programme 2025 Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr.
Noor Azuan Abu Osman
Vice-Chancellor,
Universiti Malaya
Opening Ceremony

Ladies and gentlemen, dear participants, esteemed colleagues, and friends from
across the Asia-Pacific region,

1. It is my great pleasure and honour to welcome all of you to the APRU SDG
Education for Global Citizenship Programme 2025. As the Vice-Chancellor
of Universiti Malaya, I take immense pride in our university’s continued and
meaningful involvement in this flagship initiative of the Association of Pacific Rim
Universities (APRU).
2. This year, Universiti Malaya is once again honoured to serve as both co-chair
and co-host of the onsite component of the programme. I wish to express our
deepest appreciation to our esteemed partner, Chulalongkorn University, for their
outstanding collaboration and for sharing this significant responsibility with us.
3. I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to APRU and all participating
universities and collaborators for their steadfast dedication to advancing global
citizenship and nurturing future leaders across the Asia-Pacific region.
4. The theme for this year’s programme — “Diversity and Inclusivity: Actions for
Sustainability” — is both timely and deeply resonant. 205
5. This conference is more than an event—it is a call to action. And your presence
here, especially as young, vibrant university students from across the region, is
proof that the future is not merely something we await, but something we actively
shape, here and now.
6. You, as the youth and future leaders of our region, stand at the intersection
of global challenges and limitless potential. Climate change, inequality, food
security, and digital divides are not just policy issues—they are your lived realities
and future burdens. But in these challenges lie unprecedented opportunities for
innovation, leadership, and transformation.
7. We believe that education is not just the transfer of facts, but the ignition of
passion. And in the face of a world that often seems fragmented and uncertain,
we are proud to see a new generation rising—one that is diverse yet united, critical
yet compassionate, ambitious yet grounded in empathy.
8. As we begin this conference, let us not forget that universities are more than
ivory towers—they are crucibles of change. Through our research, we develop
solutions; through our teaching, we nurture critical thinkers; and through our
outreach, we build bridges between academia and society. Our institutions,
collectively, possess the wisdom, resources, and reach to accelerate the SDGs.
But our greatest asset remains you—the students who dare to dream of a better
world.
9. This conference is your stage. Use it. Ask the hard questions. Engage with humility.
Build partnerships across borders and disciplines. Take the knowledge you gain
here, and turn it into action—on your campuses, in your communities, and in the
causes you champion. Because while the SDGs are global, the solutions are often
local. And change begins where you stand.