Marlborough College Malaysia
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On 30th October 2009, the College entered into formal agreements to establish and own a coeducational boarding school in the region known as Iskandar Malaysia, in the state of Johor. Part of the new city development is illustrated opposite.
The new school, which will be known as Marlborough College Malaysia, is expected to open in September 2012. It will cater for up to 432 pupils in the day preparatory school and 915 pupils in the predominantly boarding 11 – 18 senior school. It will provide educational facilities that, in terms of scope and quality, will equal those offered by Marlborough College in the UK. Marlborough College staff and governors will assume responsibility for the management and governance of the new institution.
An Educational Opportunity Project Development The Marlborough College Malaysia Agreement
The foundation of Marlborough College Malaysia will represent the greatest development to affect Marlborough College in its recent history and, possibly, since its foundation in 1843.
The school is confident that the enterprise will broaden and enhance the education that it is able to offer. For example, as a result of this initiative, through pupil and staff exchanges, both institutions will be able to provide a culturally varied and international education which will better equip future generations for an increasingly global social and business environment.
The vision of Marlborough College Malaysia developed following a meeting, in July 2007, between Nicholas Sampson and Bob Pick (respectively, Master and Second Master of Marlborough College) and representatives from Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) and Khazanah (the Malaysian government’s investment arm).
At that meeting, IIB presented the concept of a new city in Iskandar Malaysia, an area of 24,000 acres of contiguous land ready for development on the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula. IIB explained the importance of being able to provide outstanding educational facilities and invited Marlborough College to consider establishing an international boarding school in the region.
After preliminary market research, Marlborough College signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IIB in January 2008. Following this, extensive work was carried out to create a schematic design for the school, develop a viable financial plan and establish the basis on which the vision could be turned into reality.
On 30th October 2009, in Putrajaya, Education@Iskandar Sdn Bhd (E@ISB, the education arm of IIB), M East Sdn Bhd (MESB, the Malaysian company which will operate the school) and Marlborough College Overseas Ltd (the English company through which Marlborough College owns MESB) entered into an agreement under which E@ISB will develop the new school's facilities, which MESB will then operate.
The terms of the agreement provide the opportunity for a genuine expansion of the Marlborough College brand and will not lead to a franchise model of the type commonly peddled by other independent schools which have ventured overseas.
Marlborough College was represented by Sir Hayden Phillips (Chairman of the College Council and of Marlborough College Overseas Ltd), John Manser (member of College Council and Chairman of MESB) and the Master of Marlborough College, Nicholas Sampson.
E@ISB was represented by Tan Sri Dato’ Azman Mokhtar, (Chairman of IIB), Arlida Arriff, (CEO of IIB) and Abdullah Arshad, (CEO of E@ISB).
The British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Boyd McCleary, directors of MESB and representatives of Khazanah, IIB, E@ISB and Marlborough College were also present.