Wawasan Open University



Wawasan Open University, abbreviated as WOU, is a private university located in Penang, Malaysia, that provides working adults with access to higher education via open distance learning (ODL).

It was established in 2006 and enrolled its first batch of students in 2007. In September 2013, WOU began to also offer full-time degree programmes to STPM school leavers and diploma holders at its Main Campus in Penang.

Academic programmes and accreditation
All WOU programmes are accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and approved by the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE). WOU achieved a Tier-5 or "Excellent" rating in the SETARA local university ranking exercise conducted by the MOE in 2011 and 2013.

Campus
The university's main campus is located by the sea in the northeastern part of Penang Island, Malaysia. The main campus consists of two buildings: a heritage mansion called Homestead and the modern 12-storey Al-Bukhary Building. In addition to its main campus in Penang, WOU operates four regional centres in Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Kuching to support its distance learners located in and around those cities. It also has two smaller regional support centres in Bandar Utama and Klang.

Chief Executive and Vice Chancellor
Professor Dr Lily Chan has been appointed as the fourth Vice Chancellor in April 2019. She takes over the helm from Professor Dato’ Dr Ho Sinn Chye, who left the University at the end of 2017. In the interim, the Acting Vice Chancellor was Professor Dr Zoraini Wati Abas.

Chancellor
Eminent sports administrator and former Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar has been appointed as the fourth Chancellor of WOU. He succeeds Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah, a former Chief Justice of Malaysia, who served for five years until December 2018.

Pro-chancellor
Retired medical researcher and veteran politician Dato’ Dr Lim Thuang Seng has assumed the mantle of Pro-Chancellor of WOU. He takes over from Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, a former Chief Minister of Penang. A central committee member of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) since 1987, Dr Lim served as the Selangor State Executive Councillor for Health, Tourism and Consumer Affairs from 2004 to 2008.