PENANG, September 2015 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) plans to establish partnerships with various research centres and world-renowned academicians to further strengthen the field of biodiversity studies through research collaborations and technology transfer.

The Director of the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) USM, Associate Professor Dr. Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah, who is also the Chairperson for the ‘4^th International Workshop on Tropical Biodiversity and Conservation 2015’ said, the Centre aims to increase such collaborations through workshops such as this which is part of a five-year project, as a result of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed three years ago.

USM became the fourth venue of this workshop, following those already held in Manaus (Brazil), Bangalore (India) and Arusha (Tanzania).

According to Shahrul Anuar, this workshop provided the best avenue for the academicians and the lecturers to share research outcomes and boost smart collaborations in identifying future potential researches to be highlighted for global benefits.

“Having such collaborations and discoveries would open the doors to more meaningful international networking relations, benefitting not only the academicians but also the postgraduate students,” he added.

Shahrul Anuar said, the Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University (WRC) Japan also had a meaningful role in the organisation of this workshop, as well as in sponsoring four postgraduates from USM for a research in Yakushima island, Japan recently. The island is officially recognised as being under the authority of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

“Kyoto University also sponsored four postgraduate students of USM, consisting of those doing their Master’s and Doctoral (Ph.D) degrees, together with other students from Brazil, Tanzania and India for a duration of six weeks to study the behaviours of deers and Japanese monkeys among others at Yakushima island, and for the research outcomes to be presented later,” he said further.

The Director of WRC Japan, Professor Dr. Shiro Kohshima who was also at the workshop said, this workshop is able to spur researches on the importance of knowing about biodiversity and to have a mutual understanding of its development, other than giving emphasis on the growth in the human resource capacity in the field of biodiversity.

“I hope that this workshop would be continued in the future, to become a source of inspiration to all the participants, and more importantly the young researchers who would further pursue their studies in ecology and animal behaviour,” he added.

Shiro Kohshima said further, Malaysia in general is very interesting with its biological diversity, which provides the scientists with many items of interest, other than also looking at the potential of exploring genomic sciences on the biodiversity, which holds essential information of its evolution.

“Hopefully, the opportunity gained during this workshop would be fully benefitted, to assist these young postgraduates in establishing more global networks,” he added further.

A lecturer from the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA), Professor Dr. Vera Da Silva said, this workshop, with the attendance of participants from five different countries, would be able to explore and extend further the existing collaborations.

“I hope that the various parties attending this workshop could utilise this session which are very useful in establishing networks, which is in line with the objectives of having the workshop,” he further said.

Meanwhile, a lecturer from the Centre For Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Professor Dr. Raman Sukumar said, being an academician demanded him to have a wide range of trans-boundary knowledge, and this workshop provided him the best opportunity and exposure for him to acquire the knowledge, to be shared later with his students at the university in India.

He said further, in order to care for the animal habitat, generally it needs to begin with man’s attitudes, and in Malaysia the forests and existing habitat are preserved and he hoped that a programme of this nature be given a wider scope.

The workshop themed “Advanced Multidisciplinary and Trans-Continental Research for Global Conservation” had gathered 46 participants, with one participant each from India, Brazil, Tanzania, 20 from Japan, and 23 from Malaysia.

The two-day workshop was organised by CEMACS and The School of Biological Sciences (PPSK) USM, and with the full cooperation of the Wildlife Research Centre of Kyoto University (WRC) Japan​ as well as other organisations including the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA)​, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Kyoto University.

CEMACS was established in August 1991, but started off as a Field Station for PPSK in 1976 for researches and postgraduate training in the areas of Mariculture, Mangrove Ecosystem, Coastal Pollution and Toxicology, Biodiversity Conservation, Coastal Sciences, Beachfront Zone Integrated Management and Coral Reefs Ecosystem.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text: Siti Naquiah Abdillah

Photo: Zamani Abdul Rahim