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Director of the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration awarded honorary degree
A former President of the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Grouping and recently elected President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) for the year 2016, Sundra is a chartered arbitrator and an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaysia (Non Practising).
He holds a Masters degree in Construction Law and Arbitration from Leeds Beckett and, in addition to lecturing at a number of universities worldwide, he has also authored and co-authored a wealth of publications.
Sundra was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by the School of Built Environment and Engineering on Thursday 23 July, for his contribution to law.
Speaking about receiving the award, Sundra said: “This award is very special, it signifies recognition. I have never had something like this before, so to receive it from my alma mater is very significant.
“Coming back to Leeds reminds me of happy times; I feel very nostalgic and more importantly, I feel a sense of belonging.”
A winner of the Annual Prize from the North-East Branch of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Sundra has addressed many different types of disputes over a range of subject matters.
He has degrees in five different academic disciplines spanning ‘Housing, Building and Planning’, ‘Architecture’, ‘Town Planning’, ‘Construction Law and Arbitration’ and ‘Philosophy in Law’, and has served the Malaysian arbitral landscape with great distinction.
Asked about how the practice of arbitration has changed since he graduated, Sundra said: “The practice of arbitration is more sophisticated now, with more lawyers than technical people being involved. There is more emphasis on getting it legally right. Students seeking a career within arbitration need to be focused, have a long-term plan and must choose their career path carefully. Normally arbitration is a second profession so students must pick their first path wisely and know it well.”
Leeds Beckett University Vice Chancellor, Professor Susan Price, said: “Sundra Rajoo’s passionate involvement and ceaseless contribution towards the alternative dispute resolution system in his native country has made his name synonymous with the renaissance of Malaysia’s arbitration landscape in recent years. We are delighted to recognise Sundra’s contribution to law with this Honorary Doctorate.”