Release Date 23 October 2012

The University of Reading is delighted to announce that Professor Tony Downes has been appointed Provost and Chief Executive Officer of University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM).

Professor Downes will oversee the establishment of the University's Malaysian campus, in partnership with EISB, a subsidiary of the commercial arm of the Malaysian Government which is spearheading the development and transformation of Iskandar Malaysia¹. UoRM will open in September 2015 as part of EduCity Iskandar Malaysia in Johor Bahru and will welcome its first cohort of students in 2015.

Professor Downes is currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading and Chair of the University's Malaysia Project Board. He has been integrally involved in the development of the University's plans to develop a new campus in Southern Malaysia since the inception of the project.

Commenting on the appointment of Professor Downes, Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "The University of Reading is a global university with established historic links with Malaysia. Professor Downes' leadership of University of Reading Malaysia will build on these relationships to create a world-class institution, which will provide teaching programmes across multiple areas and play an important role in the higher education aspirations of peoples in South East Asia."

Professor Downes said: "On my visits to Malaysia to date, I have been struck by the huge enthusiasm and appetite for higher education in the region and I am excited to be given responsibility for ensuring the success of a project that will create a new world-class university for the region."

Professor Downes' first visit to the region in his new role as Provost will take place in November 2012, where he will oversee the appointment of new University of Reading Malaysia staff. Building work on the new campus is due to start in 2013.

Alongside his new role as Provost and Chief Executive Officer of University of Reading Malaysia, Professor Downes will remain as the University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor until the end of his current term of office in July 2014.

More information about University of Reading Malaysia at www.reading.ac.uk/malaysia

ENDS

Further information from Alex Brannen, Head of Media and PR, University of Reading , +44 (0)118 3788005, a.brannen@reading.ac.uk

Notes to editors:

• ¹Education@Iskandar Sdn Bhd (EISB) is a wholly -owned subsidiary of Iskandar Investment Berhad, the commercial arm of the Government that has been formed to spearhead the development and transformation of Iskandar Malaysia. EISB is responsible for implementing all education initiatives in and around EduCity, which will comprise of international universities, schools and colleges, recreational facilities and sports complexes.
• University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM) will open in September 2015 as part of EduCity Iskandar Malaysia in Johor Bahru with long-term student numbers around 2000. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees will be offered across multiple disciplines including built environment, business and law, chemistry and pharmacy.
• IIB will build the campus and the University of Reading will deliver the programmes and student experience with staff from University of Reading UK and locally engaged employees.
• University of Reading joins a group of prestigious international institutions in EduCity including Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology (NMIT), Raffles University Iskandar (RUI), University of Southampton Malaysia Campus (USMC) and Marlborough College Malaysia (MCM).

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 in the top 1% of universities in the world (Times Higher World University Rankings 2012) and consistently rates highly in measures of student satisfaction - the UK's National Student Survey 2012 (top 25% of UK universities) and the International Student Barometer.
• The University of Reading is already delivering English Language and Executive Education programmes in Johor Bahru as the first stage towards establishing a campus as part of the EduCity development at Iskandar. The programmes are delivered by the University's internationally renowned International Study and Language Centre and Henley Business School, a Faculty of the University.
• 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