EduASiaNews, Malaya – Universiti Malaya (UM) has reached another significant international milestone with the formal approval of the ASEAN University Network – Geriatric Dentistry Thematic Network (AUN-GDENT) by the ASEAN University Network (AUN) Board of Trustees. Hosted by the UM Faculty of Dentistry, AUN-GDENT is the first ASEAN-level academic network dedicated to geriatric dentistry and healthy ageing.
The proposal, led by UM in collaboration with its founding partners—the National University of Singapore (NUS), Universitas Indonesia (UI), and Khon Kaen University (KKU)—was endorsed during the 17th ASEAN University Network Rectors’ Meeting, reflecting a shared regional commitment to addressing the challenges posed by rapidly ageing populations.
Recognising the strategic importance of the initiative, the Universiti Malaya Management Committee (JKPU) has also approved a RM100,000 seed fund to support the establishment of the AUN-GDENT Secretariat at the Faculty of Dentistry. The investment underscores UM’s institutional commitment to advancing leadership in geriatric dentistry and will support the Network’s initial activities, including governance, collaborative programmes, digital platforms, research planning, and regional engagement.
AUN-GDENT will serve as a regional platform to strengthen education, research, capacity building, policy engagement, and community outreach in geriatric dentistry. Through collaboration among ASEAN universities and strategic partners, the Network aims to harmonise geriatric dentistry curricula, promote collaborative research, facilitate faculty and student mobility, support evidence-based policymaking, and develop a competent workforce capable of improving the oral health and quality of life of older adults across ASEAN.
As the Secretariat, UM will provide academic leadership in coordinating regional initiatives, fostering partnerships, and advancing innovative solutions to support healthy ageing. The establishment of AUN-GDENT further reinforces UM’s commitment to internationalisation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and impactful research addressing emerging regional and global healthcare priorities.
The initiative also strengthens UM’s position as a leading institution within the ASEAN University Network and reflects the university’s continued commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4 on Quality Education, SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.
Together with its ASEAN partners, UM aims to build a collaborative regional network that will help shape the future of geriatric dentistry education, research, and healthy ageing across Southeast Asia.
