UKM law faculty breaks into global top 100

BANGI: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's (UKM) Faculty of Law entered the global top 100 for the first time, ranking 99th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026.

UKM vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Sufian Jusoh announced the achievement at the opening of the Tuanku Chancellor International Conference on Law 2026 (TCC 2026) here yesterday.

The two-day conference was officiated by Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan and UKM chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir through a signing ceremony.

It brings together academics, policymakers, legal practitioners and researchers to examine the rule of law and good governance amid increasingly complex global challenges.

Present were Tuanku Muhriz's two sons, Tunku Besar of Seri Menanti Tunku Ali Redhauddin and Tunku Panglima Besar of Negri Sembilan Tunku Zain Al-'Abidin, Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Shikata Noriyuki, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Maria Angela Ponce and UKM Board of Directors chairman Datuk Johan Idris.

Sufian said the faculty's global ranking reflected years of dedication to teaching, research and scholarship, as well as the contributions of its staff and students.

"This milestone reflects years of dedication to teaching, research and scholarship, and the contributions of our staff and students."

The faculty's international achievements include winning the national round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition before finishing 11th in the global rounds in Washington.

UKM students also reached the top 16 at the 2026 Nuremberg Moot Court Competition, held at the Nuremberg Palace of Justice in Germany.

TCC 2026 is themed "Rule of Law and Good Governance in Post-Normal Times and Beyond".

It focuses on challenges facing legal systems amid technological developments, artificial intelligence, migration, trade, climate change, wars and security concerns.

Sufian said these developments underscored the need to strengthen legal principles and good governance across the region.

"Against this backdrop, TCC 2026 provides a platform to explore how legal principles can be strengthened in Asean, a region of growing importance, and how Malaysia can lead these conversations in the region."

He added that the two-day conference would also feature a round-table discussion today titled "Strengthening the Rule of Law and Good Governance: Challenges and Future Directions".

The discussion will be chaired by Professor Tun Dr Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, professor of practice at UKM's Faculty of Law and holder of the Tuanku Muhriz Royal Chair in Integrity and Good Governance.

Sufian said the rule of law and good governance remained central to UKM's TEKAD 57 strategic plan, which aims to contribute to a developed, principled and peaceful Malaysia by 2057, marking the country's centenary of independence.

In a separate development, UKM will establish an Asean Institute at the university, scheduled to be launched in April 2027 as a legacy of Malaysia's Asean chairmanship in 2025.

Sufian said UKM had contributed to regional cooperation through its involvement in developing key Asean policy frameworks and strategic documents, including the Asean Community Vision 2045, the Asean Economic Community Strategic Plan and the Asean Higher Education Declaration.

A UKM team had also worked with the Asean High-Level Task Force for the Asean Community Vision, assisting in the development of the regional vision.

The university also supported Malaysia's 2025 Asean chairmanship in completing 18 priority economic deliverables.

Several of these are being continued under the Philippines' chairmanship in 2026, Sufian added.

UKM is also part of the Asean University Network, contributing to regional strategic and vision documents and supporting the implementation of Asean initiatives.

Established in 2007, TCC provides a platform for dialogue on legal developments and governance challenges, bringing together expertise from academia, government and the legal profession.