Kuala Lumpur, January 6, 2025: The Asia School of Business (ASB) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management have signed a renewal agreement to extend their decade-long collaboration. ASB was established in 2015 as a collaboration between Bank Negara, the Central Bank of Malaysia, and MIT Sloan with a goal of establishing a premier business school in Malaysia.
Over the last decade, ASB has grown to fulfil this aspiration with demonstrated excellence in research, education and innovation. Its three programs – Master of Business Administration, Executive Master of Business Administration and Master in Central Banking – have created impactful leaders that are making meaningful contributions in global business and central banking. ASB’s faculty have received multiple international awards for their scholarship and seen their work make significant contributions in society, business and governments.
ASB has introduced a unique curriculum and pedagogy to the region. Learning is intellectual and hands-on through its signature action learning program. More and more of ASB’s classes are “flipped” so that in-class time is devoted to studio-like learning. In addition to ASB’s exceptional faculty, ASB students receive lectures from visiting MIT faculty, and ASB students in turn visit MIT Sloan for an extended immersion program, in which they receive full exposure to the ecosystem there.
“This is an exciting moment for MIT Sloan as we embark on the next chapter of our strong collaboration with the Asia School of Business,” said Georgia Perakis, the John C Head III Dean (Interim) of the MIT Sloan School of Management. “As MIT Sloan remains focused on growth in the ASEAN region, our collaboration with ASB will continue to provide us with the ability to enhance educational opportunities and deliver innovative programs to talented students.”
Professor Sanjay Sarma, ASB CEO, President and Dean, said: “Our collaboration with MIT Sloan has been transformative, providing our ASB students with a unique and unmatched experience that blends rigorous academics with practical application. We not only have top-notch faculty at ASB, our students acquire leadership skills to stay abreast of the latest in a world that is undergoing a period of extraordinary change today. ASB’s location at the heart of ASEAN and Asia is ideal to apply these concepts in a region of great dynamism. We are preparing our students to confront these changes – whether it is AI, data science or sustainability – through a mindset that embraces growth, change and transformation.”
Highlights of the MIT Sloan and ASB collaboration
- World-class faculty: Together with ASB’s own international resident faculty, courses are taught by faculty from MIT Sloan for diverse, global perspectives.
- Cutting-edge curriculum: Blending both MIT Sloan and ASB’s rigorous academic standards and innovative approaches, graduates gain knowledge and skills that they can apply to succeed in a fast-changing world. ASB’s offerings are available in hybrid form for professionals interested in upskilling themselves in modular, stackable, transferable, and digitally verified micro-credentials format.
- Immersive, action-learning: Students at ASB engage in real-world projects through case studies and simulations, partnering with industry leaders to solve real-time business challenges.
- Diverse, international networks: MIT Sloan’s presence offers students access to an immense network of global alumni, faculty, and industry leaders.
- Pathways to keep learning: ASB’s graduates gain unique, continuous academic pathways to MIT Sloan’s Master of Science in Management Studies (MSMS).
ASB 2025 Moving Forward
ASB is transforming the landscape of business education in the ASEAN region and beyond. Established as a collaboration with MIT Sloan in 2015, ASB continues to leverage this partnership to deliver a world-class educational experience, combining rigorous academics with real-world application. ASB is also charting new pathways through its Agile Continuous Education (ACE) initiative – offering hybrid learning solutions for professionals and companies, providing modular, stackable, and transferable formats for upskilling. Students can earn digitally verified micro-credentials, such as MicroMasters™, and apply these credits toward accelerated degree programs. Complementing its degree programs, ASB’s Iclif Executive Education Center delivers cutting-edge training for corporate leaders, ensuring they remain adept at navigating the complexities of an ever-evolving global economy.
Positioned at the heart of ASEAN, ASB is uniquely situated to connect emerging markets with global opportunities, fostering a new generation of leaders ready to tackle challenges in AI, sustainability, and beyond.