KUALA LUMPUR: UCSI University Distinguished Chair Prof Dr Ooi Keng Boon has made history as the first academic from a Malaysian private university to be elected a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

Recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records, Prof Ooi's latest achievement places him in an exclusive group of just 1,493 scientists from 112 countries who hold the lifetime title of TWAS Fellow.

A programme unit of Unesco that builds scientific capacity, education and policy in the Global South, TWAS typically elects 50 to 60 new Fellows annually.

Recognised in the subject division of Economic and Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, Prof Ooi was one of only five Malaysians elected for the class of 2026.

“This milestone means a lot to me and I hope to use the recognition to enhance UCSI’s research growth, visibility and international standing,” said Prof Ooi, who is also UCSI Centre for Business Informatics and Industrial Management director.

“I also want to mentor younger researchers, encourage more interdisciplinary and international collaboration, and help strengthen UCSI’s position as a private university that can contribute meaningfully to Malaysia and the wider global academic community.”

He added that he would continue to promote high-impact and policy-relevant research, particularly in the areas of business, management, information systems, digital transformation, and the social sciences.

Prof Ooi’s latest accolade also earned UCSI a place in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first private university in Malaysia to have a TWAS Fellow in its ranks.

Congratulating Prof Ooi, UCSI president and vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir said that milestones coincided nicely with the University’s 40th anniversary.

“All of us at UCSI could not be prouder of Prof Ooi’s milestone,” she said. “His achievement shows what can be accomplished through dedication, perseverance and a commitment to excellence.

“It also reflects the strength of our academic community, the quality of our research and the contributions our scholars are making beyond our campus and our country.”

UCSI University Council chairman and founder Dato’ Peter Ng was also present at the ceremony at UCSI’s Kuala Lumpur campus.

Ranked in Asia’s top 30 and eighth in Southeast Asia in the QS University Rankings: Asia 2026, UCSI is also classified in the world’s top 1% of universities for five consecutive years, by virtue of its 282nd placing in the QS World University Rankings 2027.