Release Date 10 May 2012

The University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM) is proud to announce the opening of its brand new teaching facilities in Johor Bahru.

UoRM will deliver programmes for future business leaders through the University's Henley Business School, one of the world's leading business education providers. The University will also be running pre-sessional courses for students wishing to raise their English and academic levels before starting a university degree course and a one-year International Foundation Programme preparing students for an undergraduate business degree. 

The programmes, which start in June 2012, are taught by University of Reading faculty in the brand new purpose-built University of Reading Malaysia facility in the Kotaraya Office Tower in central Johor Bahru. This is the first phase of a major investment in Malaysia by University of Reading Malaysia¹. In 2015, the University will open its permanent campus in EduCity, Nusajaya within the Iskandar Development Area to deliver a wide range of programmes, from law to chemistry, construction and finance.

The new business courses are designed for managers who want to get ahead in business. Programme members on UoRM's Henley Business School courses will benefit from some of the best executive education in the world. The programmes include the study of capital markets, real estate and planning and leadership and coaching.

Henley Business School was established by business, for business, and as the UK's oldest business school, has over 60 years' experience in developing managers. One of the world's few business schools to hold triple-accredited status, Henley Business School is also ranked in the European top 20 business school for Executive Education, in Open and Custom programmes (FT European Business Schools ranking, 2011).

The pre-sessional programmes and International Foundation Programmes will be delivered by the University's internationally-renowned International Study and Language Centre.  The International Foundation Programme is an intensive one-year access course which draws on University of Reading's long-established reputation for academic excellence and student support.  The course has been designed especially for international students without British A level qualifications, or the equivalent, who plan to do an undergraduate business degree. UK-based teachers will be delivering the excellent quality English language teaching.

Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "The University of Reading is exceedingly proud to be able to open our first teaching facilities in Malaysia. Our links with Malaysia go back many years and we are excited at the prospect of cementing these relationships through our new facilities and programmes in Johor Bahru.  UoRM's initial academic offering in Malaysia will provide excellent quality English language and business programmes, taught by faculty with extensive international experience, and delivered in the first-class facilities to be expected from one of the world's top 1% of universities."

Full details of all the programmes can be found at www.reading.ac.uk/malaysia

ENDS

Further media information from University of Reading press office on +44 (0)118 378 7115, media@reading.ac.uk

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Notes to editors:

¹The University of Reading Malaysia's brand new campus in Iskandar is expected to be completed in 2015, with an initial intake of 500 students. Enrolment will rise to 1,800 students by 2018, with long-term numbers thought to be around 2,000. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are being developed¹ to include programmes within real estate, construction, finance, law, chemistry and pharmacy. The new campus was formally launched in December 2011 in partnership with Education@Iskandar Sendirian Berhad (EISB in the presence of Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia.

New teaching facilities - contact details

University of Reading Malaysia, 7^th Floor, Menara Kotaraya, Jalan Trus, 80000 Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Tel: +60 7 295 5000 or by fax +60 7 221 1762.

The facilities at Kotaraya include 5 teaching suites and a large learning resource centre with a 24 station PC lab, each room with the latest smart board technology. Within the 9,000sq ft of space the UoRM also provides a resource library, a touch down space for recharging lap tops and a cafeteria/social space as well as a reception and administration offices. The facilities are also equipped within the latest internet and telephone services with Wi-Fi accessible throughout.

About the University of Reading

The University of Reading is one of the UK's top research-intensive universities. It was established as an extension college of Christ Church, Oxford in 1892, and received a Royal Charter in 1926.

The University is one of the UK's top research-intensive universities and is ranked in the top 20 UK higher education institutions in securing grants worth over £10 million from UK research councils. 

The University of Reading is ranked 164th in the world in the Times Higher World University Rankings 2011 and consistently rates highly in measures of student satisfaction - the UK's National Student Survey 2011 (top 20 ranking) and the International Student Barometer.

The University of Reading has around 100 Malaysian students studying each year at the University's Reading campus and has been in partnership with Taylor's University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia since 2002.

The University is a member of the 1994 Group of leading research-intensive universities. The Group was established in 1994 to promote excellence in university research and teaching. Each member undertakes diverse and high-quality research, while ensuring excellent levels of teaching and student experience. www.1994group.ac.uk