From left: Emerald Publishing (East Asia) regional director Wan Yat Seng; Distinguished Chair Prof Dr Ooi Keng Boon; YB Tuan Adam Adli Abd Halim; and Prof Dato’ Dr Toh Kian Kok of UCSI at the National Academic Excellence Forum and Award Ceremony 2026.

KUALA LUMPUR: Distinguished Chair Prof Dr Ooi Keng Boon has been named one of Malaysia’s Top Cited Researchers 2026.

He was one of only two scholars nationwide to receive the inaugural award in the Business and Management category for private universities at the National Academic Excellence Forum and Award Ceremony 2026.

The award recognises scholars with exceptional citation impact, research influence and international visibility.

The Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences recipient was honoured for his significant contributions to business and management research, which have helped advance scholarship in the field while enhancing Malaysia’s global academic standing.

“I am honoured to receive this recognition, but research is never a solo endeavour.

“This award reflects the dedication of my colleagues, collaborators and students at UCSI who have worked alongside me over the years.

“Our goal has always been to produce rigorous and relevant work that contributes to better decision-making in business and society, and I see this as an encouragement for us to continue pushing the boundaries of knowledge,” said Prof Ooi, director of UCSI’s Centre for Business Informatics and Industrial Management.

The event was graced by Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was also present for the launch of UCSI University’s major campus expansion project, alongside Deputy Minister YB Tuan Adam Adli Abd Halim.

Organised by the Private Universities Professors’ Association of Malaysia (PPUSM) in collaboration with Emerald Publishing, the event underscored the growing role of Malaysia’s private universities in driving research excellence, innovation and knowledge creation.