SUPPORTING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED
Empowered to lead and shape the future
How young graduates from Heriot-Watt University Malaysia are driving positive change.
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia’s purpose-driven education is producing graduates committed to making an impact and building its reputation for developing industry-ready professionals who excel in their respective fields.
Driving change
Our aim was to address the problem of language barriers in medical settings.”
Christopher Sean Kumar
From tackling real-world problems in the classroom to creating life-changing technology, Christopher Sean Kumar (MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Class of 2025) is already driving change.
With his fellow students Abel Manasseh and Devendran K Nadarajan, he developed an AI-powered translation engine to bridge language gaps in medical settings. “We designed it to provide real-time translation during teleconsultation sessions,” Christopher explains. “Our aim was to address the problem of language barriers in medical settings, particularly for patients who might struggle with English or live in multilingual communities.”
Seeking to modernise Malaysia’s healthcare system through a digital transformation, the project received the James Dyson Bursary Champion and the Watt Malaysia Conference Champion in recognition of its potential to transform lives. Christopher continued his entrepreneurial journey by joining the Provost Club, an incubation centre for student start-ups, and proposed ABOVE Hydration, a company idea that is now coming to life.
Christopher addresses educators from across the country at Heriot-Watt Malaysia’s 4th Teachers Conference.
Empowering success
In a rapidly evolving world, the most powerful education equips students not only for employment but for lasting impact. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia’s flagship EmPOWER Programme supports graduates to lead with integrity, act with purpose, and shape a better future, wherever their journeys may take them.
Now, the programme has been named a finalist in the Progressive Education Delivery category at the prestigious PIEoneer Awards 2025. Sponsored by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the world’s leading authority on global university rankings, this honour makes Heriot-Watt University Malaysia the only Malaysian university shortlisted in this global category.
Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi explains that industry partners play an invaluable role in shaping students’ career readiness: “Their support enables us to nurture graduates who are highly employable and ready to make a meaningful impact on the global economy.”
The latest strategic partnership is with The Access Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of business management software. It will assist the development of a skilled, agile talent pool to support Malaysia’s digital economy ambitions, with students gaining opportunities to work alongside Access teams on initiatives designed to complement their learning and build the skills needed to successfully kickstart their careers.
Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi Provost & CEO, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
Supported to realise ambitions
Imelda Tan celebrating her graduation with her parents.
Turning her passion into a thriving business, Imelda Tan (MA Hons International Business Management, Class of 2025) is a force to be reckoned with. While applying her business lessons to grow her baking venture, she founded the Watt Games inter-university sports competition and led the Watt A Run: Walk the Talk event.
“From the start of my degree to its end, my learning in the classroom was relevant and useful for my business,” Imelda comments. And driven by her love of sport she sought to develop new opportunities for the student community to engage with it, creating the month-long Watt Games that encompasses a range of sports, and inspiring the campus community through Watt A Run, which this year focused on raising awareness and support for mental health through a collaboration with the Malaysian Mental Health Association.
“The University has an amazing support system of people who have helped me with my ambitions,” Imelda explains. She is now confidently stepping into her next chapter as a young entrepreneur.
Learning in the classroom was relevant and useful for my business.”
Imelda Tan
Innovative young engineers
Chemical Engineering students, Darren Lim Ming Qian and Aishah Sabarudin, were Highly Commended at the 2025 IChemE Young Engineers Awards for Innovation and Sustainability.
Their project was recognised in the Water and Sanitation category for the development of an advanced adsorbent material to tackle the global problem of oil spills and their impact on the marine environment. Darren and Aishah developed graphene/silica-functionalised melamine foam—a highly hydrophobic (repels water while attracting oil) material, which is also low cost and non-toxic, and could be utilised for rapid adsorption of diesel oil from water.
“This journey was both challenging and rewarding,” comments Aishah. “I’m so grateful for the mentorship and support throughout. Looking ahead, I’m more motivated than ever to keep contributing to sustainable solutions with a positive impact on the world.”
This journey was both challenging and rewarding.”
Aishah Sabarudin
Learn about our purpose driven education.
