Sunway University expands partnership with CIM to equip future marketers with industry-focused qualifications

Sunway University has become the first university in Malaysia to both establish a formal Accredited Degree Partnership with CIM and embed specific qualification modules directly into its academic curriculum. This programme provides a pathway for students to graduate with a globally recognised qualification from CIM, alongside their Honours degree.

Students completing the Bachelor of Science (Hons) Marketing programme will now have access to integrated CIM assessment opportunities as part of their degree studies. Students who successfully pass the Content and Channels module with their exemptions will then be entitled to the CIM Foundation Certificate in Professional and Digital Marketing on graduating. This provides students with the essential, practical marketing skills needed to support their career progression with confidence.

Following CIM’s enhanced partnership with Sunway University, Maureen Wincott, Head of Learning Partnerships at CIM, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration:

“We are delighted to expand our relationship with Sunway University by embedding our Level 3 Content and Channels module directly into its BSc (Hons) Marketing curriculum. By recognising the academic quality and teaching excellence of Sunway, we are able to provide students with a streamlined pathway to professional qualifications alongside their degree. This practical, real-world mapping ensures that graduates enter the highly competitive global job market with the essential digital and strategic marketing capabilities that employers actively demand.”

Sunway has embedded CIM’s Content and Channels module into the university’s second-year curriculum. This module introduces students to the diverse types of content marketers can create, as well as the strategic channels used to reach key target audiences. Students explore how communicating with and informing customers serves as a cornerstone of building long-term brand relationships.

A cohort of approximately 80 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Hons) Marketing programme, predominantly in their second year, alongside select third-year students, sat the integrated CIM assessments. This first cohort of approximately 80 students successfully utilised the academic exemption gained through completing their mapped university modules, achieving an excellent pass rate. They will be followed by a further 80 students in June.

These students will now gain triple recognition, combining degree qualifications from Sunway University and Lancaster University with a globally recognised professional qualification from CIM, significantly boosting their employability and helping them stand out in highly competitive global job market, and demonstrating their commitment to continuous professional development in a fast-paced industry.

Commenting on the value of this additional qualification for students, Dr Gan Chin Chuan, Head of the Department of Marketing Strategy & Innovation at Sunway Business School, noted:

“Our department is dedicated to delivering industry-aligned education that equips graduates to thrive in a fast-paced business environment. Guided by Sunway University’s Fifth-Generation University (5GU) model, we strive to bridge academic learning with professional practice through meaningful industry collaborations. Integrating CIM’s Content and Channels module within our BSc (Hons) Marketing programme is a testament to our curriculum’s relevance and rigour. This collaboration not only aligns with our AACSB accreditation standards but also provides our students with a highly valued professional credential that significantly enhances their employability and distinguishes them in the global marketplace.“

To further enrich the academic experience, Sunway University has also recently invested in registering its students for CIM’s Marketing Club, which provides them with access to a global community designed for tomorrow’s marketers, complete with resources to support their professional journey. The Marketing Club provides expert perspectives and practical materials that bring classroom theory to life. It provides a valuable platform to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and learn from leading practitioners through tailored articles, webinars, and reports.

Furthermore, Sunway University students have the opportunity to participate in CIM’s global student competition, “The Pitch”. An initiative that allows teams to showcase their strategic thinking and gain hands-on experience by tackling a real-world marketing brief from a major global brand, supported by CIM throughout the process.

Through close collaboration with CIM, Sunway University has provided its students with a powerful tool to distinguish themselves to employers in a demanding employment market. This initiative reflects CIM’s broader global contributions to the UK Skills Partnership, highlighting its role in exporting high educational standards, vocational excellence, and professional marketing frameworks to academic institutions worldwide.