Limkokwing University founder dies at 75 years

Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Datuk Sri Paduka Dr. Lim Kok Wing, the founder of the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, has passed away at the age of 75. 

The university’s head office in Malaysia confirmed his death through a statement on Tuesday which was issued by the Eswatini Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

“With deep sadness, we convey the passing of Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Datuk Sri Paduka Dr. Lim Kok Wing, our founder President,” read the statement in part.

The university went on to say a visionary, Tan Sri’s career has been synonymous with creativity, and he assisted in developing innovative education globally, empowering especially the developing world.  “We are humbled by the loving condolences and support extended by so many and asks for privacy as we mourn a man we are very proud of,” further read the statement.

 The Star, an online publication of Malaysia reported that the cause of his death was still unknown but last week, it was reported that he was hospitalized after a fall and was in stable condition. The 75-year –old businessman died a week after he was admitted due to health complications.

P. Kamalanathan,  a Professor, said Dr. Limkokwing was one of the most prolific educators of our nation.

“I had the pleasure and honor of calling him a friend over the last decade and his humility and burning passion towards quality education were characteristics that stand out and impacted me deeply,” he said.

Dr. Limkokwing put the Malaysian institution on the global creativity map and brought praises and respect to the nation through his commitment to academic excellence.

Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology was established in 1991 by founder and namesake Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Paduka Dr. Lim Kok Wing. In 2002 the institute became the first private college to be recognized as a university college.

Limkokwing University has a presence across three continents with over 30,000 students coming from more than 150 countries.

As of December 2018, the university had the following campuses:

• The Limkokwing Borneo campus is in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, Malaysia’s largest state on the island of Borneo. The campus was launched in Kuching on 19 February 2009, marking the second campus for the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Malaysia.
• The Limkokwing Botswana campus is in the country’s capital, Gaborone, and was launched on 14 May 2007.
• Limkokwing Cambodia, located in Phnom Penh.
• Limkokwing Lesotho is located in Maseru, the capital of the Kingdom of Lesotho. The campus was launched by the Right Honorable Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili on 15 October 2008. The occasion marked the first entry of a Malaysian university into Lesotho and the establishment of Limkokwing’s second campus in Africa.^[9]
•  Limkokwing Malaysia is the flagship campus. It is in Cyberjaya, a township in Malaysia. The Limkokwing campus in Cyberjaya is home to 9,500 students from nearly 145 countries. The campus is the winner of the Highest Enrolment of Foreign Students Award and Special Award for Globalizing Malaysian Education from the Malaysian Ministry of Education and the Export Excellence Award from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
• Limkokwing United Kingdom campus is in the centre of London at 106 Piccadilly.
• The Limkokwing Eswatini campus is in Mbabane, Eswatini.
• The Limkokwing Sierra Leone campus in Freetown opened in March 2017.
• The Limkokwing Uganda campus in Namataba, is expected to open in 2019. 

Academics

Limkokwing offers foundation, diploma, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, DrBA, Ph.D., language, and professional courses. As of 2018, the university maintained the following academic faculties:^[1]

• Faculty of Information & Communication Technology (FICT)
• Faculty of Business Management & Globalization (FBMG)
• Faculty of Communication, Media & Broadcasting (FCMB)
• Faculty of Architecture & The Built Environment (FABE)
• Faculty of Design Innovation (FDI)
• Faculty of Multimedia Creativity (FMC)
• Faculty of Fashion & Lifestyle Creativity (FFLC)
• Sound and Music Design Academy (SMDA)

Through these centres, the university offers instruction in many specialties, including the following: Animation, architecture, business, entrepreneurship, fashion design, film production, games design, global campus learning, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, Islamic banking, journalism, mass communication, mobile computing, software engineering, urban planning, and web design.

Awards

The university has been granted many awards, including the following:

• Global Innovation Leadership in Education, in 2010.
• Outstanding Achievement in Web Development for Education Standard of Excellence, Portal Standard of Excellence, University Standard of Excellence, in 2010.
• The International Arch of Europe Award for Quality, Leadership, Technology, and Innovation.
• The Commander of the Most Meritorious Order of Mohlomi by His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
• In April 2017, the Accreditation Service for International Colleges and Universities (ASIC) from the United Kingdom bestowed Limkokwing University with the Global TVET Model University Award and Tan Sri Limkokwing with the Transformation Leadership in Global TVET Education Award.

About the founder

Dr. Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing is the founder and president of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. He is a Malaysian artist, designer, author, entrepreneur, educationist, and philanthropist who is officially recognized by the Malaysian government as the Father of Innovation in Creative Education. In 2021, he passed away at the age of 75 while recovering from a fall injury.