USM PENANG, 18 September 2024 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has strengthened its position as a leader in academic innovation by partnering with Arterial Research and Education Network Asia-Pacific (ARENA-PAC) to develop and operate a 100Gbps research and education network, a first for Malaysia.

This groundbreaking collaboration aimed to enhance high-speed connectivity, research capacity, and educational opportunities for academic institutions across the country, with extended benefits for the broader Asia-Pacific region.

Both parties inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) yesterday to mark this significant milestone in Malaysia's commitment to technological advancement in academia.

USM was represented by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed, while signing on behalf of ARENA-PAC was its Co-Director Professor Dr. Jun Murai from Keio University, Japan.

Abdul Rahman emphasized the importance of this development, stating, “This partnership with ARENA-PAC marks a significant milestone in Malaysia's commitment to advancing research and education through technology.”

“The 100Gbps network will provide our researchers and students with unprecedented access to global resources and collaboration opportunities, positioning Malaysia at the forefront of academic innovation," he said.

He further said that the 100Gbps research network will not only boost Malaysia’s academic landscape but will also support the development of advanced applications in critical areas such as artificial intelligence, climate modeling, and genomics.

“This cutting-edge infrastructure was expected to increase the global competitiveness of Malaysian research institutions and foster cross-border collaboration with international research bodies.

“The new network will become an integral part of developing a new generation of innovators, particularly in the field of internet engineering, and will further bolster Penang’s reputation as the "Silicon Valley of the East," Abdul Rahman stated in his speech at the MoA signing ceremony.

Professor Jun added, “By joining forces with USM to develop this high-speed network, we took a crucial step towards creating a robust research and education infrastructure that will benefit Malaysian institutions.”

“This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to foster innovation and knowledge exchange across borders,” he further added.

In short, USM and ARENA-PAC’s collaboration in jointly developing cutting-edge 100Gbps network infrastructure will:

• Enhance data-intensive research capabilities for Malaysian institutions.
• Foster joint research initiatives in network technologies.
• Promote knowledge sharing and capacity building among member institutions.
• Enable real-time collaboration on large-scale research projects, both domestically and internationally.

Among those who were present at the signing ceremony were the USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor Industry & Community Network, Professor Dr. Azlan Amran; Centre for Knowledge, Communication & Technology (PPKT) Director, Ahmad Fadhlul Irham; USM Chief Digital Officer, Dr. Muhammad Firdaus Akbar Jalaludin Khan; School of Computer Sciences senior lecturer, Dr. Chong Yung Wey as well as the principal officers of USM and ARENA-PAC.

ARENA-PAC is a backbone network with the purpose of research and education and is made up of an international submarine cable network constructed with the goal of expanding the Internet in the Asia-Pacific region.

Text: Shafinaz Md Ismail & Tan Ewe Hoe/Photo: Shahnizam Ab Rahim