USM–KIT INK MOU, ENHANCE COOPERATION IN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ON SUSTAINABILITY

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Germany have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore long-term cooperation in research, education and innovation on sustainability.

This strategic cooperation would simultaneously provide opportunities for solution-based growth in managing socioeconomic challenges and sustainable communities.

USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Industry and Community Network, Professor Dato’ Dr. Azlan Amran said, the signing of the MoU was done in conjunction with the participation of USM in the International Hubs Conference 2026 held at KIT recently.

According to Azlan, the signing marked an important milestone during the conference, with both institutions reaching an agreement to widen cooperation in areas of Sustainability Science, Transdisciplinary Research, Urban Sustainability and Resilience, Digital and Immersive Research Infrastructures, Sustainability Education and Transformative Innovation.

“The cooperation would establish an official framework to conduct joint research, sharing of methodologies and data, mutual development of knowledge infrastructure and data, scholarly publications as well as the preparation of a policy brief.

“This MoU would also provide opportunities for an exchange of researchers, staff and students, implementation of training programmes and workshops, in addition to exploring possibilities of joint funding to support the research and innovation agenda for both institutions,” he said.

Aside from academic cooperation, the MoU would provide other opportunities such as for testing, adjustments and widening of methods and sustainable innovations which have been proven to be effective in one country into the context of other regions, and taking into account the local needs and environment.

With regard to USM, among the major outcomes resulting from this cooperation is the development of regional hubs and the international knowledge infrastructure that would allow for a more systematic analysis of field experiences, data and outcomes of socioeconomic projects with KIT.

This project also has the potential to link the experiences of USM in conducting its community projects utilising the concept of ‘Real World Laboratory’, a research approach that would test and assess solutions in real-world surroundings through the involvement of concerned parties.

In the long-run, such projects would have the potential to assist USM in enhancing its evidence base in the implementation of community projects, in identifying factors contributing to its success and the challenges in a more accurate manner, while making use of the research findings to further improve on the planning and design of the socioeconomic initiatives in the future.

Meanwhile, USM has become the sole higher education institution from Asia to join the conference, alongside member institution from South Africa, Mexico, Canada and Germany.

Also present at the conference was PENERAJU Unit General Manager for Socioeconomic Programmes, who is also USM Assistant Registrar, Nik Mohamad Syazne Nik Ezanee.