AUTHOR=Renganathan Elil , Guinto Renzo , Mahmood Jemilah , Lacey-Hall Oliver , Veerakumarasivam Abhi , Poppema Sibrandes 

TITLE=The role of the university in recovering from COVID-19 and preparing for future crises—perspectives and experiences from Sunway University, Malaysia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1072823

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1072823

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Infectious disease pandemics and the climate emergency are just some of the challenges that academia, as engines of knowledge creation and dissemination, must urgently tackle head on. This commentary presents the perspectives of leaders of Sunway University, a young private university in Malaysia that made a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) prior to the pandemic, and its experiences in promoting research, innovation, and learning as part of COVID-19 recovery and in preparation for future crises such as the climate emergency. Some of the university’s initiatives include embracing the planetary health approach, reviving the essential public health functions, exploring pandemic resilience, addressing ‘infodemics’ and promoting science diplomacy. The example of Sunway University provides some insights on the opportunities and challenges that academic institutions face as they seek to reorienting the paradigm of education, research, and service away from disciplinary siloes and towards a more integrated, preventive, and translational approach.