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Strengthening Women’s Leadership and STEM Pathways: Swinburne Sarawak × Women Leadership Foundation

Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and The Brooke Heritage Trust have signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA) to support collaborations in the areas of research and internships.

Strengthening Women’s Leadership and STEM Pathways: Swinburne Sarawak × Women Leadership Foundation

3 Feb 2026 – School of Research recently hosted a courtesy visit by the Women Leadership Foundation (WLF), marking an important step in strengthening collaboration around women’s leadership development across Sarawak and the region.


Around the table, shared purpose and thoughtful exchange — strengthening partnerships with the Women Leadership Foundation to advance women’s leadership and Women in STEM 2026.

The university was honoured to welcome Datuk Zunaidah Idris, Founder and Vice Chairman of Women Leadership Foundation, together with Ms Suhaila Azhar, Program Director for the Leadership Pillar, and Ms Marisa Sharif, Assistant Program Director. The visit provided a valuable platform for strategic dialogue, alignment of shared values, and exploration of future collaboration focused on inclusive, future-ready leadership.

The discussion was attended by Swinburne Sarawak’s senior leadership, reflecting the university’s strong institutional commitment to this agenda. Participants included Prof Sim Kwan Yong, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Mr James Ho, Director of Communications and Relations (C&R), as well as members of the university’s research leadership team. Their presence underscored the importance of a whole-of-university approach in supporting leadership development initiatives that span education, research, industry engagement, and community impact.

A key component of the session was WLF’s sharing on its flagship executive education programmes, including the Aston Leadership Masterclass, MIT Sloan: Leadership in the Age of AI, and St Andrews: Women in Leadership. These programmes reflect a shared understanding that contemporary leadership requires more than technical expertise. Instead, leaders must be equipped with systems thinking, ethical judgment, executive presence, and the ability to navigate complexity shaped by digital transformation, global uncertainty, and sustainability challenges.


With the Co-Founder of the Women Leadership Foundation and Swinburne Sarawak’s Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), marking a shared commitment to advancing Sarawak Women of Tomorrow 2026 and women’s leadership impact.

Central to the discussion was the exploration of potential collaboration for Sarawak Women of Tomorrow (SWOT) 2026 – Season 5, one of WLF’s signature leadership initiatives. The structured, multi-stage learning journey of SWOT — from foundational preparation to immersive leadership bootcamps and mentoring — aligns strongly with Sarawak’s aspirations to build a robust, cross-sector pipeline of women leaders capable of taking on senior and high-stakes roles.

Adding depth to the engagement was the presence of former SWOT cohort members and mentees from Swinburne Sarawak, Assoc Prof Bibiana Lim (Cohort 2), Jenice Yeo, and Dr. Miko Lee (Cohort 4), who participated in the discussion and shared their experiences. Their reflections offered first-hand insights into the impact of sustained mentoring, reflective leadership practice, and exposure to complex leadership environments. Their participation reinforced the continuity of the partnership and the long-term value of leadership development that extends beyond a single programme or cohort.

The Women Leadership Foundation’s role as a proud sponsor of Women in STEM 2026 highlights the Foundation’s strong commitment to advancing women’s participation, visibility, and leadership across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This sponsorship strengthens the bridge between leadership development and STEM talent pipelines, supporting efforts to encourage girls and women to progress from education into impactful STEM careers and leadership positions.


Shared commitment, shared purpose — celebrating partnership and progress with the Women Leadership Foundation in advancing women’s leadership and STEM pathways.

From Swinburne Sarawak’s perspective, the engagement aligns closely with the university’s vision of People and Technology Working Together for a Better World.

It reflects the role of higher education institutions not only as providers of knowledge but as conveners of partnerships that connect leadership development, innovation, and societal impact. The courtesy visit concluded with a shared understanding that advancing women’s leadership and STEM participation requires intentional, sustained collaboration. Swinburne Sarawak values this strategic engagement with the Women Leadership Foundation and looks forward to continuing the dialogue as both organisations work together towards Sarawak Women of Tomorrow 2026 and Women in STEM 2026, strengthening leadership pathways for women in Sarawak and beyond.