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Four Malaysians who are alumni of universities in the United Kingdom were recognised for their innovative work in driving change across industries and society at large in the British Council’s Study UK Alumni Awards Malaysia 2026.
The awards, currently in its 7th edition in Malaysia, paid tribute to Dr Rebecca Tay Sook Hui who took home the award for the Business and Innovation category; Dr Hor Chee Peng who was named the winner of the Science and Sustainability category; Matthew Tan Yi Jian who swept up the top spot in the Culture, Creativity and Sport category and Tan Shi Min for the Social Action category.
Dr Rebecca transformed the pain of losing her mother at a young age into a lifelong mission to make clinically accredited pharmacogenomics and precision medicine accessible to all. A University of Nottingham alumna, she has also contributed to a national roadmap for pharmacogenomics implementation alongside with the leadership of Ministry of Health, helping to shape policies that advance tomorrow’s cures today.
She shared she is deeply honoured to be recognised as the winner of the Business and Innovation category. She added that the recognition of being a pioneer of entrepreneurship in precision medicine affirmed her commitment to make life-saving genetic testing and precision medicine available to more people, delivered to world-class standards of credibility and clinical accuracy while remaining affordable.
“This win gives me a platform to champion life-saving genetic testing because every family deserves a fighting chance, and no one should be left behind. It isn’t about personal recognition,” she said.
Dr Hor Chee Peng, a graduate of University of Edinburgh, was recognised for his impact in leading his hospital’s pandemic preparedness and response. He attributes his ability to manage the evolving needs of the hospital during that period to the evidence-based approach, systems thinking and collaborative leadership learnt during his time in the UK.
“I’m extremely honoured that my work during the COVID-19 pandemic has been recognised at a platform of this magnitude. It also has extra meaning for me as it’s the first time that a degree conducted wholly online has been recognised in the Study UK Alumni Awards. I also am the first Ministry of Health representative to take home an award over the seven times the award has been organised in Malaysia and the first Commonwealth Scholar to win the Science and Sustainability award,” he shared, with a wide grin.
Matthew Tan Yi Jian, a University of Oxford graduate, was recognised for his influential role in shaping the next generation of Malaysian storytellers as a film educator, maker, and scholar. His ethnographic documentary, ‘Partition’ on Southeast Asian migrant women in the United Arab Emirates was officially selected for the Oscar‑qualifying Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia 2024, the Oxford University Short Film Festival 2024, and was nominated for Best Documentary Film at the British Film Institute’s (BFI) Future Film Festival 2025.
He shared he is deeply moved by the win and intends to use this achievement as motivation to continue contributing to film discourse in Malaysia, with a particular interest in inspiring his students and young filmmakers to embrace research as a cornerstone of their creative storytelling process.
This is in line with his aim of amplifying Malaysian achievements in film on the global stage and bridging creative practice and research, based on the research skills he acquired from his time studying in the UK.
For the Social Action category, Tan Shi Min was recognised for her effort to make education equitable. The University College London and Plymouth Marjon University graduate has impacted the community in a demonstrable way with her innovative product, the Wheel of Learning, making an impact in over 1,000 teachers and students and growing the English aptitude of her students in rural Malaysia.
She was blown away in disbelief when the winner was announced, but elated that her innovation, which started as a way to help students improve their language capability, has been recognised by an international award platform and hopes to impact more rural youths and young children in the future through the Projek Anak Malaysia initiative, an initiative that she started in collaboration with The Charisma Movement and Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu since 2012.
The Study UK Alumni Awards feature four award categories: Business and Innovation, honouring those driving economic growth through forward-thinking ideas and enterprises; Culture, Creativity and Sport, a newly introduced category celebrating artistic and athletic excellence; Science and Sustainability, recognising alumni championing solutions that protect our future; and Social Action, acknowledging individuals empowering communities and creating positive societal impact.
British Council Malaysia Director, Jazreel Goh, noted that each of this year’s winners shows us what is possible when talent, purpose and opportunity intersect. Their achievements reflect not only personal excellence, but the wider impact UK alumni continue to make wherever they go.
“At the British Council, we are proud to celebrate these changemakers, global citizens whose dedication to innovation and service is leaving a lasting, positive mark on the people and communities they touch,” she said.
The British High Commissioner to Malaysia, HE Ajay Sharma CMG, said, “The Study UK Alumni Awards celebrate outstanding Malaysians who create meaningful impact at home and beyond with their UK education. Apart from being a key foundation of the enduring people-to-people ties between our two countries, the success of UK alumni is testament to how UK education helps shape leaders, innovators, and changemakers for the future.”
The biennial award recognises outstanding individuals who exemplify the global impact of a UK education. From driving innovation and advancing sustainability to championing social change and elevating culture, the awards shine a spotlight on Malaysian alumni making an influence on the global stage. Over 1,000 applications were received for the 2026 edition, which were whittled down to 200 for the judges’ selection before the final 20 were shortlisted across the four categories.
This year’s edition once again brings together a diverse group of trailblazers, leaders, and changemakers, reflecting the strength and reach of the UK alumni community in Malaysia. By celebrating these accomplishments, the awards also reinforce the value of a UK education in equipping graduates with skills, perspectives, and leadership needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
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