KUALA LUMPUR: Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah has underscored the critical role of universities in addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, technological transformation and geopolitical uncertainty, while emphasizing that scientific advancement must be guided by wisdom, responsibility and a commitment to society.
The Sultan of Perak delivered the address at the launch of Univer-Cities Volume V: Combatting Existential Climate Change, at Galeri Sultan Nazrin Shah in the chancellor’s building of Universiti Malaya (UM), earlier today.
The fifth volume of the Univer-Cities series explores the complex challenges posed by climate change and the importance of collaboration between universities, cities and wider society in developing sustainable solutions.
In his address, Sultan Nazrin highlighted that universities have endured throughout history not merely as centres of knowledge, but as institutions that preserve wisdom, nurture intellectual inquiry and contribute to the advancement of civilisation.
He observed that the responsibilities of universities have become even greater in an era characterised by rapid technological advancement, geopolitical transformation and unprecedented collective risks.
While scientific knowledge and innovation remain essential, Sultan Nazrin stressed that humanity must also cultivate sound judgment, imagination, dialogue and compassion to navigate an increasingly uncertain future.
He further highlighted the importance of strengthening the relationship between universities and the cities they serve, ensuring that academic knowledge translates into practical solutions that benefit communities.
Through this relationship, universities can extend their contributions beyond academic boundaries, transforming research into innovation and knowledge into meaningful societal impact.
Sultan Nazrin also welcomed the continued development of the Univer-City vision at Universiti Malaya, acknowledging the contributions of Prof Anthony Teo and Prof Emerita Tan Sri Sharifah Hapsah in advancing the initiative.
He noted that Universiti Malaya’s longstanding contributions to education, knowledge and national development make it a fitting institution to advance the next chapter of the initiative.
Sultan Nazrin also emphasised that global challenges such as climate change transcend national borders and require universities to strengthen partnerships across institutions, disciplines, cities and nations.
Such collaborations are vital to ensuring that knowledge is shared, diverse perspectives are considered and research contributes to the collective well-being of humanity.
The launch of Univer-Cities Volume V reinforces the importance of universities as catalysts for meaningful dialogue and interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly in confronting climate-related challenges affecting cities and communities worldwide.
For Universiti Malaya, the occasion reflects the institution’s enduring role as a centre of intellectual exchange and its commitment to connecting academic excellence with the evolving needs of society.
The Univer-Cities initiative, which began with its inaugural conference at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore in 2013, has developed into an international platform for examining the relationship between universities, urban development and society.
The latest publication continues this intellectual dialogue, bringing together perspectives on climate change and the responsibilities of institutions in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future.
