42 Iskandar Puteri: Nurturing Tech Talent in Malaysia’s Fastest Growing Region
Opened in August 2024, 42 Iskandar Puteri is the second 42 campus to open in Malaysia. Located in Johor, an ultra-modern and fast-growing township on the border with Singapore, the campus now ambitions to nurture tech talent in Southern Malaysia.
Previously considered a “sleeping giant”, Johor has quickly grown into one of the most affluent regions in Malaysia over the past two decades. Having consistently attracted the highest levels of investment in all of Malaysia throughout the 2010s, the city now boasts state of the art infrastructures, as well as a rich and diversified culture and entertainment scene, with its lot of hipster cafes, theme parks, shopping malls and movie theatres… all the while maintaining an affordable cost of living! Johor also benefits from its proximity to Singapore, with students being able to cross the border to experience all that the straights have to offer, from global tech expos to Marina Bay Sands and Universal Studios.
In the middle of this bustling environment, 42 Iskandar Puteri officially opened its doors in August 2024, as the second campus under the 42 Malaysia umbrella, to support Malaysia’s national agenda to build a future-ready digital workforce, particularly in the South of the country where the campus is located. 42 Iskandar Puteri came into being thanks to a philanthropic partnership between Sunway Education Group, Khazanah Nasional Berhad (via Dana Impak) and local Johor state agencies.
While the 42 education model differs widely from conventional systems, it hasn’t stopped the campus from garnering support from various stakeholders. “Visitors — from government entities, academic institutions, corporate sectors and community groups — have been receptive to the idea that while it differs from conventional systems, it can be embraced as an innovative approach that goes beyond existing educational frameworks.” — Marsha Tan, head of 42 Iskandar Puteri, tells us.
The 42 Iskandar Puteri campus also quickly found its way in the local ecosystem, partnering up with several local companies for different purposes. “We’re currently working with a range of partners including AmBank, the local State Education Department (JPNJ) and a few tech companies and state agencies from Johor, such as the Johor Talent Development Centre (JTDC).” — Marsha Tan states. While partnerships with JPNJ and JTDC are mostly oriented towards recruiting students, the partnership with AmBank is geared towards creating mentorship opportunities and potential job pathways for students.
Moving forward, 42 Iskandar Puteri aims to carry on expanding its reach and impact by fostering more industry and government partnerships. To do so, it seeks to bank on its strategic location. “The main strength of 42 Iskandar Puteri lies in the fact that it has a front-row seat to a cross-border tech and talent ecosystem. Between Johor and Singapore, learners are exposed to a unique synergy that blends global insight and local relevance in a unique way.” Marsha Tan concludes.
