Visit by H.E. Anne Vasara, Ambassador of Finland to Malaysia, to Sunway University and Desa Mentari

On 30 January 2026, Sunway University had the honour of welcoming H.E. Anne Vasara, Ambassador of Finland to Malaysia, together with her distinguished delegation comprising Madam Outi Hakanen, Ms. Martina Nisula, and Dr. Mika Tirronen.

The visit provided a meaningful opportunity to introduce the Sunway Desa Mentari Community Development Programme (SDMCDP) and its ongoing efforts in advancing inclusive and sustainable community development. The delegation expressed strong interest in Sunway University’s impact-driven approach, particularly in relation to education, health, wellbeing, and inclusive urban community development, which are closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

As part of the programme, a field visit was organised to Desa Mentari, where H.E. the Ambassador and her delegation gained first-hand insight into the lived realities of an underserved urban community in Malaysia. The visit provided valuable context to the challenges and opportunities that inform the design and implementation of SDG-aligned SDMCDP initiatives on the ground.

The exchange highlighted strong areas of shared interest, with clear alignment between Finland’s strengths in education and social development and Sunway University’s commitment to advancing the SDGs through community-led transformation. In particular, the discussions reinforced the importance of cross-sector collaboration in achieving SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through knowledge exchange, applied research, and community-based pilot initiatives involving universities, institutional partners, and community stakeholders.

H.E. Anne Vasara also expressed interest in engaging relevant stakeholders in both Finland and Malaysia to further explore the role of higher education institutions in driving community transformation. Such dialogue could support the development of collaborative frameworks that enable scalable and contextually relevant models contributing to sustainable social impact.

Sunway University extends its sincere appreciation to H.E. Anne Vasara and her delegation for their visit, engagement, and openness to exploring future collaboration. The University looks forward to translating these initial discussions into meaningful partnerships that advance shared SDG commitments and create lasting impact for communities.