Cover Professor Barry Winn, vice-chancellor and president of Taylor’s University (Photo: All Is Amazing)
Professor Barry Winn, vice-chancellor and president of Taylor’s University (Photo: All Is Amazing)
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Professor Barry Winn, the newly appointed vice-chancellor and president of Taylor’s University, strives to drive growth and excellence at the leading Southeast Asian private institution
Taylor’s University opens a new chapter under the leadership of its newly appointed vice-chancellor and president, Professor Barry Winn. Winn brings nearly 40 years of experience in higher education leadership, research, and academic development. In his last role as vice-chancellor of Sohar University in Oman from 2015 until 2022, he oversaw the university’s growth to 7,000 students and 180 educators.
“When I was approached about the role at Taylor’s University, the opportunity to live and work in Kuala Lumpur was highly appealing,” Winn says. “And as I explored Taylor’s University further, I was impressed by its commitment to excellence across various disciplines. The university’s focus on providing a diverse range of academic offerings to enrich society resonated with me. It was a vision I felt I could fully embrace.”
Since opening the Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus in 2010, the university has established itself as a comprehensive institution. The academic programmes offered today encompass a broad range of academic disciplines, including medicine, pharmacy, biosciences, gastronomy, media, computer science, design, education, engineering, business, law, architecture, hospitality and tourism and soon, veterinary medicine.
Aiming to develop the academic offerings to meet the needs of 2050, Winn acknowledges Malaysia’s growing agenda around healthcare. “Developing healthcare to support an ageing population, to keep them well is a big challenge for every government in the world. We will need to develop new models of healthcare here, new types of health professionals that will support the country and beyond moving forward.”
“Taylor’s University’s dedication to quality has secured our place among the world’s top 300 universities. We are ranked the top private university in Southeast Asia for five consecutive years, securing our place among the top 1% of elite universities globally, a significant achievement. Moving forward, my goal is to elevate the university even further by developing programmes that are relevant to this millennium and expanding our research base.” Winn believes that if the university can sustain its current trajectory, it has the potential to be ranked among the world’s top 200 universities within the next decade.
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Struck by the strong sense of unity and excellence among staff and students, Winn’s first strategic plan for Taylor’s University is to emphasise on enhancing the community aspect. “There’s a genuine pride in being a part of this university. People consistently go above and beyond without being asked. This spirit and sense of belonging have certainly been key to the university’s success.” With nearly half of its student body composed of international students, Winn emphasises the importance of uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds to tackle global challenges. The university encourages students to discover their passions and voice their opinions, besides equipping them with the skills to thrive and make meaningful contributions to their communities.
Winn emphasised the importance of embracing technological advancements, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence. “The thing about AI is it exists, and you cannot stop the technological advance,” he says. Rather than trying to prevent its use, Taylor’s University will look to incorporate AI and other digital resources to enhance the learning experience. At present, the institution has established the Virtual Online Future Technology and Extended Reality (VORTEX XR) Lab, which provides immersive XR learning experience, to facilitate the use of AI and other advanced technologies.
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One area where AI could have a significant impact is in practical training. Winn gave examples of using avatars and virtual reality in clinical psychology education and engineering, allowing students to gain valuable experience in controlled, simulated environments before entering real-world situations.
Winn also hopes to identify more strategic relationships with other institutions with similar academic alignments. “The University of Cardiff spoke to us on the research they’re doing in the rainforests of Sabah, and Taylor’s University has an Impact Lab doing work in that area. It’s an example of the kind of collaboration we would look to deepen, as we have provided students to Cardiff over the years.”
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To achieve its goal of becoming a world-class international university, Winn has envisioned Taylor’s University to focus on three key areas: learning and teaching, research, and engagement. The university has appointed pro-vice chancellors for each of these areas to drive progress. In research, Taylor’s will build critical mass in focused areas where it can excel, while in learning and teaching, the emphasis will be on innovative approaches that leverage new technologies.
Over the next five years, Taylor’s will strengthen its existing capabilities and explore new opportunities aligned with global challenges. While committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the university has identified four major academic themes to direct taught provision, research, and knowledge transfer: Health and Active Living, Education and Future Work, Sustainable Societies, and Creative Futures.
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Images: All Is Amazing
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