The Chancellor

YAM Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhriz

UCSI University is proud to announce the installation of Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhriz as its second Chancellor, a milestone that signifies a new chapter in the University’s 39-year history.

A well-respected public intellectual, social advocate, and cultural patron, Tunku Zain has a wealth of experience in thought leadership,  education, civic responsibility, and the arts. As the founding president of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Tunku Zain actively champions policy reform, good governance, and inclusive development. He is also a columnist, pianist and an ardent advocate of Malaysia’s diverse heritage. 

Tunku Zain’s installation as Chancellor continues his close affiliation with UCSI. He served as the University’s first pro-chancellor in 2021 and he was appointed as the patron of UCSI Hospital in March, this year. He made invaluable contributions to UCSI’s Bangladesh branch campus and he has gone overseas to expand UCSI’s international research network. In addition to this new role, he will also serve as UCSI Group advisor, a role he has played since 2023. 

Apart from his roles at UCSI, Tunku Zain serves as ICAN College president and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia pro-chancellor. He also holds prominent positions at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, the University of Nottingham Malaysia and Excelerate Malaysia. He is a trustee of Yayasan Chow Kit, Yayasan Munarah, Yayasan IDEAS and the Genovasi Foundation. He is also the chairman of Omesti Berhad and a director of Prima Gading Corporation.

Tunku Zain obtained his BSc in Government and Sociology and his MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He then worked at the UK Houses of Parliament, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, KRA Group and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. An Eisenhower Fellow, he has been selected for various leadership programmes by the governments of Australia, France and the European Union. He has received awards for integrity and impact among young leaders.