USM, PENANG, 19 March 2016 – The USM Centre for Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRIS) is aiming to be a reputable centre for policy research, not only in Malaysia but also throughout the world in many aspects of socio-economy, social development, social issues and other matters that would be impactful to the future of the society.

According to the Director of CenPRIS, Associate Professor Dr. Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk, one area that would be given focus would be on research for peace at the global level.

"Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has recently signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with SOKA University and TODA Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research to fulfil such aims.

"We are also doing research on public policies together with the University of Bath, UK as well as offering a Doctoral programme in this field, which is to be available in 2017," added Azeem Fazwan.

Apart from that, CenPRIS would also implement a research project in the field of Ageing Science with the cooperation from the USM School of Biological Sciences and a number of Japanese institutions in the immediate future.

"This is also a policy that needs to be looked at more comprehensively by the Malaysian government as the Malaysian population is having a longer lifespan and would pose a challenge to the society and the country," he added.

Work done by CenPRIS to remain relevant as a policy research centre in drafting policies that would cater to the needs of society and country can be seen further in the inventory study carried out on local villages in Penang recently.

The study conducted by CenPRIS was intended to assist the policymakers and stakeholders in efforts to develop the nation without harming the historical and heritage aspects of specified localities.

CenPRIS, which was formerly known as the Centre for Policy Research, has produced numerous key studies in areas of socio-economy and has become the pioneer of various projects such as on poverty and microcredit, which had led to the establishment of Amanah Ikhtiar and TEKUN, agencies which have been upgraded into projects of national interest. 

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text: Nor Khamisah Saidin (USM Internship Student)