Universiti Malaya (UM) has taken on two major roles that will shape both dental education and cultural research in Southeast Asia. The university is setting up the Asean University Network-Geriatric Dentistry Thematic Network (AUN-GDENT) and has been appointed as Unesco Chair on Manuscript Heritage of the Silk Road.
The AUN-GDENT Secretariat will be based at UM's Faculty of Dentistry, making the university the main hub for the first Asean-level academic network focused on geriatric dentistry and healthy ageing. Approved by the AUN board of trustees at the 17th AUN Rectors' Meeting in Singapore, the network aims to align curricula, support collaborative research, and encourage faculty and student exchanges across the region. Founding partners include the National University of Singapore, Universitas Indonesia, and Khon Kaen University, working with UM to address the oral health needs of ageing populations.
UM has allocated RM100,000 in seed funding to launch the AUN-GDENT Secretariat, supporting IT infrastructure, governance, and regional engagement from the outset.
This funding will support the Secretariat's launch and early operations, covering governance, digital platforms, research planning, and regional outreach. As Secretariat, UM will coordinate regional projects, build partnerships, and look for new ways to improve the quality of life for older adults in Asean.
Separately, UM's appointment as Unesco Chair on Manuscript Heritage of the Silk Road brings the university into Unesco's global Unitwin/Unesco Chairs Programme, which includes more than 1,100 chairs and university networks in over 130 countries. Dr Mehdi Soltanzadeh will lead the chair, which will focus on research, teaching, training, and community work related to manuscript heritage. UM's responsibilities include preserving, documenting, digitising, and promoting manuscripts connected to the Silk Road and the exchanges between the Malay World and other cultures.
As Unesco Chair, UM will develop a digital manuscript repository, set documentation and metadata standards, coordinate research, and offer postgraduate training in manuscript studies. Plans include field surveys in libraries, museums, and archives, as well as international workshops, seminars, conferences, academic exchanges, and joint publications with global partners.
The UNESCO Chairs Programme encompasses over 1,100 chairs and university networks in more than 130 countries, highlighting the global scale and prestige of UM"s new appointment.
UM's approach relies on collaboration. Key coordinators and founding partners include Prof Dr Jacob John, Prof Dr Firdaus Hariri, Prof Dr Lindawati S. Kusdhany, and Assoc Prof Dr Wong Mun Loke, reflecting a cross-border commitment to both academic quality and practical results. This teamwork builds on recent advances in personalised orthodontic care, but extends the model to a broader regional and interdisciplinary level.
By anchoring both the AUN-GDENT Secretariat and the Unesco Chair, UM is taking on active leadership in both dental and cultural scholarship. The university's investment and coordination of multinational partnerships show a move from talk to action. For Asean's ageing populations and for the preservation of Silk Road heritage, UM's leadership is now a concrete presence, setting a new example for what academic institutions in the region can achieve with focused commitment and resources.
