Endowment Funds
Building a legacy of quality education and lasting social impact through philanthropy.
Overview
The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Endowment is a visionary initiative designed to create a perpetual source of support for quality education, world-class research and academic excellence. By preserving the principal amount in perpetuity and utilising only the investment returns, the fund ensures long-term sustainability for scholarships, professorial chairs, and research programmes. Inspired by the model established by some of the oldest and world-renowned institutions including Harvard University, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation aims to grow its endowment beyond RM1 billion, empowering philanthropists to leave a legacy named in honour of the donors, their families or their organisations.
Our Approach
A Legacy in Perpetuity
At the heart of the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Endowment is a simple yet powerful philosophy: building a permanent source of funding in support of quality education and world-class research for current and future generations of students.
Preserving the Principal, Empowering the Future
The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Endowment is structured to preserve its principal in perpetuity, ensuring long-term financial sustainability. Guided by a disciplined investment strategy, the endowment generates a projected annual returns of 5% and only the returns are deployed to support high-impact initiatives, including:
- Endowed professorships and faculty support to attract and retain world-class scholars
- Scholarships for deserving and high-potential students
- Research grants to drive discovery and impact
- Strategic academic initiatives that enhance teaching, learning, and collaboration
This model ensures that the capital remains intact, allowing the fund to grow over time and continue delivering impact year after year, for posterity.
Leave a Legacy that Inspires Generations
Gifts to the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Endowment offer a rare opportunity to establish a named legacy that reflects your values, honours your family or carries the aspirations of your organisation. Through a named endowment, your contribution will become a lasting testament of your commitment to quality education and nation-building through:
- Named Professorial Chairs that attract and retain academic leaders
- Named Scholarships at the undergraduate or doctoral level to support promising students
- Named Research Funds or Facilities that enable groundbreaking discovery
This is more than a gift. It is a perpetual investment in knowledge, opportunity, and the future.
Transparent, Accountable, and Purposeful
All endowed funds are professionally managed and governed with the highest standards of transparency and accountability. Donors receive annual reports detailing both the financial performance of their endowment and the tangible outcomes it enables, whether it’s the success of a scholarship recipient or a breakthrough in research.
This endowment model is inspired by the best practices of leading global institutions, where investment returns are used to fuel academic excellence, while the principal remains preserved in perpetuity.
Endowment Funds
Here’s a simplified overview of the available endowment programs:
*Note: PhD tuition covers supervision and research costs. Stipends support student living expenses.
Strategic and Transformational Endowment Opportunities
The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation welcomes endowments for the following professorial chairs at Sunway University:
Professor of Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Studies
Professor of Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Studies
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), many of them family-run, form the backbone of Malaysia’s economy. They drive job creation, innovation, and inclusive economic growth.
Research Focus:
This endowed chair will be held by a leading expert in SME development, with a focus on teaching, research, and policy engagement. Areas of inquiry may include family business succession, digital transformation, access to capital, and the broader ecosystem needed to support resilient and competitive SMEs.
Professor of Global Supply Chain and Logistics
Professor of Global Supply Chain and Logistics
Global supply chain management lies at the heart of modern commerce—shaping how goods, services, and data flow across borders in an increasingly interconnected world. With both immense opportunity and complex risk, this professorial chair will focus on advancing research and teaching in logistics, trade networks, and supply chain resilience.
Research Focus:
The appointed scholar will lead cutting-edge research on the evolving dynamics of global supply chains, with particular emphasis on the transformative role of emerging technologies—such as AI, blockchain, and automation—in logistics and distribution.
Professor of Agronomy and Urban Farming
Professor of Agronomy and Urban Farming
As urbanisation accelerates globally, sustainable urban farming has become critical to maintaining food security, supporting environmental resilience, and improving the quality of life in densely populated areas. This endowed chair will drive research and education at the intersection of agronomy, urban sustainability, and food systems innovation.
Research & Strategic Focus:
The appointed professor will lead efforts to advance a decentralised urban farm prototype and spearhead high-impact collaborations with world-leading institutions such as Wageningen University and China Agricultural University. The role also aligns with ongoing research partnerships in Microbiomics and Nutrition with institutions in Singapore and Karolinska Institutet, positioning Malaysia at the forefront of sustainable food system innovation.
Professor of Pharmaceutical Research
Professor of Pharmaceutical Research
Pharmaceutical research is foundational to the discovery and development of new medicines, spanning the full spectrum from molecular targeting and drug design to clinical evaluation and regulatory approval. It is a discipline that directly shapes public health, biomedical innovation, and the future of therapeutic science.
Research Focus:
This endowed chair will catalyse leadership in pharmaceutical research through the development of a dedicated master’s programme, industry collaboration with partners such as AstraZeneca, and academic partnerships with world-renowned institutions, including the University of Cambridge. The role will also foster translational research and innovation, as well as support the growth of biotech spin-offs and strengthen Malaysia’s pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem.
Professor of Tropical Diversity and Climate Change
Professor of Tropical Diversity and Climate Change
Tropical ecosystems are among the most biodiverse on the planet—and among the most vulnerable to climate change. This professorial chair will address the interlinked challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change in tropical regions, contributing to the global conversation on planetary health and sustainable development.
Research Focus:
The role will support research into tropical ecology, carbon sequestration, and climate mitigation strategies, positioning Malaysia and Sunway University as thought leaders in global environmental stewardship.
Professor of Sustainable Accountancy
Professor of Sustainable Accountancy
As ESG reporting becomes a global imperative, the field of accountancy is evolving beyond financial reporting to encompass sustainability disclosures and impact measurement. Accountants are uniquely equipped to drive this transformation.
Research Focus:
This chair will elevate Sunway’s accountancy programmes by embedding sustainability into the curriculum and advancing research on ESG metrics, integrated reporting, and corporate accountability.
Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Its Business Applications
Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Its Business Applications
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the future of business—from automation to decision-making and predictive analytics. Yet, its full transformative potential remains untapped.
Research Focus:
This professorial chair will lead interdisciplinary research and education on AI’s business applications, helping companies prepare for disruption and develop AI-powered strategies that drive innovation, productivity, and competitiveness.
Professor of Cybersecurity
Professor of Cybersecurity
As digital systems become integral to business operations, the threat of cyberattacks grows more sophisticated. Cybersecurity is no longer optional but mission critical.
Research Focus:
This role will drive advanced research into automated and AI-enhanced cybersecurity strategies, ensuring businesses stay ahead of emerging threats. The chair will also strengthen industry collaboration and talent development in this high-demand field.
Professor of Data Science
Professor of Data Science
Big data is the new frontier of value creation—powering innovation across sectors through predictive insights and data-driven strategy.
Research Focus:
This chair will lead research and academic programmes in data science, equipping students and industries with the tools to harness large-scale data for problem-solving, decision-making, and disruptive innovation.
Professor of Health Informatics
Professor of Health Informatics
Health informatics is revolutionising medicine by uncovering insights from massive datasets—informing better treatments, identifying trends, and improving population health.
Research Focus:
This role will drive research at the intersection of data science and healthcare, with applications ranging from disease modeling and digital therapeutics to personalized medicine. The professor will also support the university’s efforts to lead in digital health innovation.
Professor of Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Professor of Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Robotics and autonomous systems are central to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, reshaping manufacturing, mobility, and everyday life.
Research Focus:
This chair will lead cutting-edge research in intelligent robotics, focusing on ultra-fast, agile systems, and AI-integrated autonomy, to position the university at the forefront of advanced automation and smart system design.
Professor of Urban Studies and Smart City Design
Professor of Urban Studies and Smart City Design
Smart cities are the future of urban living, where digital technologies enhance sustainability, liveability, and governance.
Research Focus:
The endowed chair will lead research on urban design, digital infrastructure, and smart city policy, helping Sunway City Kuala Lumpur serve as a blueprint for sustainable urban transformation and global benchmarking.
Professor of Taxation
Professor of Taxation
Taxation is a cornerstone of fiscal governance and business strategy, with implications for economic policy, compliance, and equity.
Research Focus:
This professorial role will explore cutting-edge issues in tax policy, corporate taxation, and international tax reform. It will also support Sunway’s accounting and finance programmes by integrating research and professional development into this complex and evolving field.
Additional Opportunities
Jeffrey Cheah Foundation also welcomes proposals for endowed chairs in specialised areas not currently listed. This enables donors to champion disciplines that reflect their unique passions, values, or organisational missions, leaving a lasting impact aligned with their vision.
Endowed Professorial Chairs and Scholarship Funds to Date
Leave a Lasting Legacy
By contributing to the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Endowment, you are not just supporting quality education but helping to shape a better future. Whether through a named scholarship, professorial chair, or research fund – your gift becomes a permanent legacy linked to the advancement of knowledge, opportunity, and nation-building.
If you or your organisation would like to create a legacy through an endowed gift, we invite you to connect with us. Together, we can ensure that access to quality education remains sustainable, impactful, and transformative—for generations to come.
Give For Endowment
For inquiries or to explore opportunities to contribute to the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Endowment, please contact our endowment office at donation@jeffreycheah.foundation or call +603-5639 8818.
We thank you for your interest in making a lasting difference.