On August 2nd, 2023, Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the establishment of the Tun Dr. Ismail Chair at KITA in appreciation of the distinguished stateman’s legacy of leadership and ideas found on unity and racial integration. The Chair will be focusing on academic research on unity and society towards the enhancing of understanding and embracing unity in diversity in the country. With the establishment of the Tun Dr. Ismail Chair, KITA has achieved another new milestone as the only research institute in the country that holds two academic chairs simultaneously with the other chair being the UNESCO Chair.