From 24 to 26 September 2026, the corridors of IMU University in Bukit Jalil were busy with the kind of conversations that only happen when a community comes together. Alumni, healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, students, industry partners and community leaders gathered for the IMU Alumni Conference & Exhibition 2026, three days of thought-provoking discussion, shared knowledge and new connections.
The conference was jointly organised by the Alumni Association of IMU 2025/2026 and the IMU Advancement & Alumni Office, with the support of IMU University. Its theme, “One Health: Bridging Leadership, Education and Community for an Impactful Tomorrow,” set the tone for everything that followed.
Now in its third edition, the conference gave the IMU community, and its wider healthcare network a place to look at where healthcare is heading, through three connected lenses: entrepreneurial leadership, teaching and learning and global health and community engagement.
Over the three days, participants listened to distinguished IMU alumni and external speakers, explored new approaches to healthcare delivery and education, and presented their own research in oral and poster sessions. They also rolled up their sleeves in hands-on workshops and made the most of the networking opportunities woven through the programme.
Day 1 (24 September): Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The first day opened in the Mei Ling Young Auditorium on Level 4, with a line-up of guests of honour that included Academician Professor Emerita Datuk Dr Asma Ismail, , and Professor Gerard George, together with Professor Vishna Devi Nadarajah, Professor Winnie Chee, Professor Dr Er Hui Meng, Puan Noraidah Yusoff, Professor Dr Nazimah Binti Idris, Prof Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim and other distinguished IMU members. Guiding participants through the day was our emcee, Nadira Nazir, an IMU alumnus (PS211).
The opening speech came from Dr Paul Chan (ME298), an IMU alumnus from the School of Medicine and President of the IMU Alumni Association (AAIMU 2025/2026). Professor Vishna Devi Nadarajah, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, then delivered the welcome address, and Dr Paul presented her with a token of appreciation.
Alumni Keynote: Leading the Future of One Health
The keynote was a homecoming of sorts. Dr Goh Hsien Ming (ME193), an IMU alumnus, spoke on “Leading the Future of One Health: Alumni Leadership Driving Innovation Across Hospital Systems.” Dr Goh is a physician, healthcare entrepreneur and investor with more than 25 years of international experience across clinical medicine, hospital management, healthcare informatics, organisational transformation and healthcare investment. As Founder and Chairman of Panacean Group, he has led the development of healthcare ecosystems that bring together medicine, technology and multidisciplinary care, including the pioneering Health Capitol @ Bandar Utama.
Dr Goh also holds a special place in the alumni community. He was the first President of the IMU Alumni Association, serving from 2002 to 2009, and has remained a strong advocate for alumni engagement. Special mention goes to his contributions to healthcare innovation and leadership which was recognised with the Professor Gerard George Distinguished Alumnus Award for Innovation and Impact in November 2025
Building Trust in Healthcare: Standards and One Health
The conference then welcomed an external speaker, Yang Berusaha Mr See Chee Kong, Director General of the Department of Standards Malaysia (Jabatan Standard Malaysia). Mr See has built his career in public service, particularly in trade, industry and economic development. He previously served as Senior Director of the Services Sector Development Division at MITI and as Minister (Economic Affairs) at the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing and today leads Malaysia’s national standards and accreditation body. His session, “Building Trust in Healthcare: Standards and One Health,” looked at the part that standards, quality and accreditation play in healthcare.
Platinum Sponsor Speech
Our Platinum Sponsor speaker was Dr Angus Poh Yang Jun (CH216), an IMU alumnus and Founder of BP Chiro Physio. Dr Poh began his career as a practising chiropractor and founded BP Chiro Physio in 2020, shortly after graduating from IMU. He has since grown it into a six-branch chiropractic and physiotherapy group across Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang. He is also Co-Founder of YuHe TCM, which focuses on women’s health, and Joint18, a nutrition supplement brand.
One Health Across Academia, Industry, Community and Sustainability
After the break, the forum “One Health Across Academia, Industry, Community and Sustainability” was moderated by Mr Wong Yi Kai (CH110), Treasurer of the IMU Alumni Association (AAIMU 2025/2026). His panel brought together:
- Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Syed Mohamed Aljunid, Public Health Consultant and Professor of Health Economics, Policy and Management, IMU University
- Professor Dato’ Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President, MERCY Malaysia
- ChM Dr Shanmuga Kittappa, Head of Research & Sustainability, Cenviro Sdn Bhd
- Professor Dr Mai Chun Wai (BP105), Deputy Director of IRDI, IMU University
The discussion returned to one point: meaningful improvements in health rarely come from a single profession or sector. They come when people step beyond traditional boundaries and work across disciplines
Entrepreneurial Leadership: Scaling Innovation for a One Health Future
Symposium 1 turned to healthcare entrepreneurship. It was moderated by Dr Tee Chen Giap (ME116), Secretary of the IMU Alumni Association (AAIMU 2025/2026) and the panel was largely made up of IMU alumni:
- Ms Samantha Wong Sonn Yee (DN112), Chief Dietician, AGTC Genomics
- Dr Wei Siang Yu, Founder and Chairman, Borderless Healthcare Group, Singapore
- Dr Amelia Siah Siang Yee (ME204), CEO & Founder, Aglow Medical Group Sdn Bhd
- Dr Anthony Stanislaus (ME206), CEO & Co-Founder, Hisential Clinic
They shared an honest look at the challenges and opportunities of developing and scaling healthcare innovation, from spotting an opportunity and building an organisation that lasts, to leading change in an increasingly connected healthcare environment.
The afternoon was then given to oral presentations which were evaluated by Dr Paul Chan and Dr Tee Chen Giap, with Ms Avelin Wong Ee Lin and Ms Yee Sioa Thong presenting on Day 1. Posters were judged by Dr Lee Yi Yi, Head of Department, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Dr Shadi Khadijeh Gholami, Senior Lecturer, School of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. The day closed with a campus tour, visits to the exhibition booths and a networking tea at Dewan Chancellor.
Day 2: Reimagining Teaching and Learning
The second day put the spotlight on Teaching and Learning, asking how healthcare education must keep evolving to prepare future professionals for a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Both of the day’s headline speakers were IMU alumni, and between them they showed how far an IMU education can travel.
The morning began with the alumni plenary session, “Integrating the East and West: Healthcare Education for a Dual-Discipline Future,” presented by Associate Professor Dr Lim Ren Jye (ME299), Medical Director and Integrative Medicine Consultant at Sunway TCM Centre. Dr Lim has spent much of his professional life building bridges between Eastern and Western medical approaches, in the belief that the two can work together to provide more comprehensive, evidence-based and patient-centred care. His clinical expertise includes integrative oncology, TCM general medicine and integrative wellness.
The next speaker was Professor Dr Kamalan Jeevaratnam (MMHS206), Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Professor of Clinical Physiology at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. A distinguished academic and clinician-scientist, Professor Kamalan’s expertise spans clinical physiology, cardiovascular research and healthcare education. His talk, “From MBBS to Veterinary Medicine: Human Health to Animal Health,” traced a career that itself crosses the line between human and animal health, which sits at the heart of One Health, and underlined the importance of bringing different disciplines together to advance healthcare and education.
Teaching & Learning: Innovating Healthcare Education for the One Health Future
Symposium 2 was moderated by Dr Tee Chen Giap (ME116), Secretary of the IMU Alumni Association. The panel explored how education, technology and interdisciplinary learning can prepare healthcare professionals for a future in which working across disciplines matters increasingly:
- Dr June Lau Fei Wen (ME108), Chair & Founder, AI in Healthcare Digital Healthcare Committee
- Dr Na Wei Lun, Director, Angsana Value Office, Angsana Health
- Dr Mervyn Koon Kar-Wai, Medical Consultant, The KL Sky Clinic
The discussion looked at the changing expectations placed on healthcare professionals, the growing use of technology in education, and the need to equip students and practitioners with adaptability, critical thinking and collaborative skills.
Oral Presentations
The conference then continued with oral presentations under the theme of Teaching and Learning judged by Dr Paul Chan and Dr Tee Chen Giap. Our students, Ms Nur Atiqa, Mr Ian Cairns Hastie alongside IMU colleague, Ms Janice Chan presented.
In the afternoon conference participants chose between two concurrent sessions.
In the moderated panel “Advocacy in Action,” Dr Paul Chan (ME298) moderated a conversation with Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo, President of the Malaysian Medical Association, and Dr Timothy Cheng Tsin Jien, Chairman of the Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (SCHOMOS). The session invited participants to see advocacy not only as an institutional responsibility, but as something that can be built into everyday professional practice and community engagement.
Concurrently, Professor Dr Muneer Gohar Babar, Associate Dean (Academic), School of Dentistry, led the hands-on workshop “AI & Digital in Healthcare Reporting,” exploring the growing role of artificial intelligence and digital tools in healthcare reporting.
Taken together, the Day 2 sessions reinforced an important message: preparing healthcare professionals takes more than technical knowledge. It also takes the ability to keep learning, adapt and innovate.
Day 3: Community, Global Health and Sustainability
The final day carried the One Health conversation into global health, community engagement and sustainability, and it had an international flavour, with two alumni speakers who now work in the United Kingdom and in international pharmacy leadership.
The plenary session was delivered by Dr Maryam Raya (ME111), Urology Registrar with Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust in the United Kingdom. Dr Maryam has dedicated clinical interests in endourology and stone disease, ureteric stent safety and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Beyond her clinical work, she is active in research, quality improvement and medical education, with peer-reviewed publications and presentations at regional, national and international urology meetings. Her work has been recognised with the Joint London North winner of The Urology Foundation at the BAUS Annual Meeting in 2024, and a Best Poster award at the North Central and East London Trainer Trainee Meeting the same year. It was a pleasure to welcome an IMU alumna who is building her career on an international stage.
The conference continued on with our alumna Ms Ng Yi Ling (BP114), who shared her professional journey. Yi Ling is President of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Early Career Pharmaceutical Group and a passionate community pharmacist. As Professional Care & Development Manager at Alpro Pharmacy, she has led initiatives that bring healthcare closer to the community, with a strong focus on early detection, disease prevention, health education and helping individuals take greater ownership of their health.
Global Health & Community: Community-Led Solutions for Sustainable One Health Systems
Symposium 3 was moderated by Ms Natalie Chin Ziqing(CH118), Assistant Secretary of the IMU Alumni Association. It brought together a full panel of four IMU alumni:
- Ms Lim Shee Yee (CH116), Animal and Paediatric Chiropractor
- Dr Thinesh Rajasingam (ME205), Consultant Psychiatrist & Senior Lecturer at RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus
- Dr Sophia Rasheeqa Ismail (ME205), Head of Cardiovascular Unit, Institute for Medical Research
- Ms Thow Meei June (IMC NU109), Head of Service, ASSSIS Charity Palliative Services and Assunta Home Care
The symposium explored how healthcare systems can work more effectively with communities and how community-led approaches can contribute to sustainable health outcomes. It reflected one of the central messages of the whole conference: healthcare transformation is not achieved by institutions alone, but together with the communities they serve.
Making Sustainability Practical
After lunch, the conference took a refreshingly hands-on turn. Participants made their way to the Open Area on Level 4 for the AAIMU Sustainability Workshop, led by Ms Tan Hui Chiat.
The idea behind the workshop was simple: sustainability does not have to begin with big projects or special materials. It can start with the ordinary items we already have at home. Instead of listening to a talk, participants were invited to roll up their sleeves and try their hand at a few sustainable crafts. They braided strips cut from t-shirts into lanyards, and they ironed plastic bags down into sheets that were then fashioned into beverage coasters, giving everyday waste a second life as something useful.
It was a relaxed, creative hour, and a welcome change of pace after three days of sessions. More importantly, it brought sustainability down to a practical, accessible level. Participants left with something they had made themselves, and with the reminder that meaningful environmental action can begin with small changes in everyday life.
Celebrating Research and Knowledge Sharing
Oral presentations continued on the final morning, judged by Dr Paul Chan and Dr Tee Chen Giap, with Ms Lim Shi Ting, Ms Sharon Yip and Ms Yeow Li Wei presenting. Across the three days, presenters shared their work, tested their findings and exchanged ideas with fellow professionals and the IMU community, reflecting the depth of research and inquiry taking place across the healthcare and academic community.
At 3.00 pm, Puan Noraidah Yusoff, presented the Oral and Poster Presentation Awards.
Oral Presentation Awards
| Category | Place | Winner |
| Entrepreneurial Leadership | First | Tee Siao Thong |
| Entrepreneurial Leadership | Second | Avelin Wong Ee Lin |
| Entrepreneurial Leadership | Third | Dylan Koay Sean Pin |
| Teaching & Learning | First | Ian Cairns Hastie |
| Teaching & Learning | Second | Janice Chan |
| Teaching & Learning | Third | Nur Atiqa Binti Ali |
| Global Health & Community Focus | First | Sharon Yip |
| Global Health & Community Focus | Second | Yeo Li Wei |
| Global Health & Community Focus | Third | Dr Ni Ni Win |
Poster Presentation Awards
| Award | Winner |
| First Place | Wong Xin Yue |
| First Place | Yu Yuen Chin Ellenhor |
| Third Place | Jaclyn Thu Thong Heng |
| Fourth Place | Zi Qian Wha |
| Fifth Place | Yo Ann Chee |
Closing the Conference
Dr Vivek Subramaniam (ME108), Chairman of the IMU Alumni Conference & Exhibition 2026, delivered the closing speech, thanking the speakers, participants, alumni and partners who made the conference possible, and inviting everyone to continue the conversations at the conference dinner that evening at Dewan Chancellor.
Celebrating the IMU Community at the Conference Dinner
The three days came to a close on 26 September with the IMU Alumni Conference & Exhibition 2026 Dinner at Dewan Chancellor, IMU University. Alumni, university leaders, speakers, healthcare professionals, industry partners, Graduate Training Programme partners and friends of IMU came together for an evening of fellowship, networking and celebration.
The evening began with opening remarks from Dr Paul Chan followed by a keynote opening address from Puan Noraidah Yusoff. Mr Ezhar Ahmad, Head of Sales, Tesla, gave a special presentation. There was also a milestone for the alumni community: the soft launch of the IMU Alumni Houseman Survival Handbook, led by Dr Liew Kong Fui (ME205), President of the IMU School of Medicine Alumni Chapter. Created with the next generation of young doctors in mind, the handbook is one more way for alumni to look out for those following in their footsteps.
IMU students added to the warm and celebratory atmosphere with their performances, and guests also took part in two lucky draw sessions, with gifts generously sponsored by Hong Leong Bank Malaysia.
Acknowledging Our Sponsors and Partners
The IMU Alumni Conference & Exhibition 2026 would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors and partners. We extend our sincere appreciation to our conference Platinum Sponsor, BP Chiro Physio, and to our valued sponsors:
- Biolyn
- Haritage
- Active Spine
- Alpro
- AAVI
We also offer our special thanks to Hong Leong Bank Malaysia, Conference Dinner Sponsor, for its generous support of the conference dinner and the lucky draw prizes.
Their support made it possible to bring together a wide community of healthcare professionals, educators, entrepreneurs, alumni and students, and to create meaningful opportunities for learning, connection and collaboration.
Bringing One Health Into the Future
Over three days, the IMU Alumni Conference & Exhibition 2026 showed that the future of healthcare depends on more than clinical knowledge alone. It calls for leaders who are willing to innovate, educators ready to rethink how healthcare professionals learn, communities empowered to take part in their own health, and professionals from different disciplines who are willing to work together.
The conference also highlighted the valuable part alumni play in the continuing growth of the IMU community. From established healthcare leaders and entrepreneurs to younger alumni building their careers in Malaysia and abroad, the programme reflected the many ways in which IMU graduates are contributing to healthcare.
Most of all, the conference opened up conversations across generations and disciplines, connecting current students with alumni, professionals with educators, industry with academia, and individual ideas with wider possibilities for collaboration.
As the conference closed, its central message was clear: an impactful One Health future will depend on our continuing to bridge leadership, education and community, working together across boundaries and turning shared ideas into meaningful action.
The IMU Advancement & Alumni Office and the Alumni Association of IMU 2025/2026 would like to thank all our speakers, moderators, presenters, participants, students, volunteers, sponsors, partners and organising committee members for making these three days so memorable.
The conference may have ended, but the conversations, connections and collaborations it inspired are only just beginning.