PENANG, 14 June 2014 - The country needs a new model of managing higher education in accordance with the various global changes so that it remains relevant to the current and future needs.

This was stated by the Minister of Education II Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh at a press conference held in conjunction with the Research University Carnival at Sains@USM in Bukit Jambul.

“The administration system of higher education institutions in the country requires a new model or approach in order to strengthen their relationship with the industry and to maintain their relevance,” said Idris.

He added that not only those at the universities, particularly the managers, administrators, professors, lecturers and others in the university communities need to change their way of thinking or mindset but also those in the Ministry of Education and other ministries need to understand the changes that are happening in the world around us.

“Furthermore, the research and development (R&D) products especially those produced by the top five research universities in the country should be commercialised and be shared with the industry to ensure optimum benefits can be reaped from the efforts put in,” said Idris.

The five research universities are the Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) which also exhibited their research results to the public at the carnival.

According to Idris, universities and the industry must find ways to start raising the standard of R&D to come up with innovations and products that have potential for commercialisation without expecting others to pave the way.

Over the last five years, the commercialisation efforts of R&D by the universities had contributed RM1.2 billion to the economy, but this amount is actually not much as the effort is still in its infancy.

When asked about the need to increase the funding of Research Universities, Idris expressed commitment to support efforts to increase the funds available while acknowledging that it is not an easy task. He also expressed the hope that the funding for R&D purposes to enhance IPT would be increased in the upcoming state budget.

“I give my commitment and support the idea of increasing the funds available, but at the same time I expect the universities and industry to find ways to raise research in the country to the next level and find other funds to make this work,” the Minister of Education II added.

Prior to this, Idris was also one of the panelists in the industry forum titled The Role of University in Propelling R&D in the Local Industry chaired by a local TV station personality and USM alumnus, Sherkawi Jirim.

Among the panelists in the forum were the Managing Director of Altera Corporation Technology Center Penang, Dato’ Mohd Sofi Osman; International Education Centre Director Toyohashi University of Technology Japan, Professor Atsunori Matsuda; and Technology Consultant of Dolphin Group of Companies, Gregory L. Foster.

The Minister of Education II is convinced that Research Universities are able to contribute to the country and will leave a great positive impact on the economy particularly in achieving the country’s ambition for a developed nation status by 2020.

“Moreover, based on the latest ranking by subject, Engineering and Technology programmes in all five Research Universities were ranked top 200 in the world, with USM being ranked 28^th place in Environmental Science.

“I am delighted with this success and am confident that we will be able to achieve higher rankings in the future,” added Idris.

Idris also visited various exhibitions booths besides giving away prizes to the winners of the inaugural Innovation Challenge which involved more than 200 students from schools and colleges in the Penang State. - Translation: Yong Check Yoon & Tan Ewe Hoe/Text: Mohamad Abdullah/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa