đź“ť Summary
UTM and industry leaders successfully bridged the gap between research and real-world results through a pre-event session for the University Research, Innovation and Investment Summit (URIIS) 2026. The session featured two focus group discussions on advanced chemical and material, and advanced electrical and electronic, moderated by UTM faculty members. The event aimed to transition from abstract theory to tangible collaboration, addressing real-world industry problems and building stronger bridges between the industrial and academic sectors.
JOHOR BAHRU, Apr 29- Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), through the Department of Higher Education (JPT), together with all Public Universities, led by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) as program chairs, and strategic partner Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), successfully convened industry leaders and academia at Institut Dato’ Onn, Iskandar Puteri.
The session served as a strategic pre-event to the University Research, Innovation and Investment Summit (URIIS) 2026, turning dialogue into direction and ideas into actionable pathways. A key highlight of the session was the impactful coordination by UTM, led by the Deputy Director of UTM Centre for Community and Industry (CCIN), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sabrinah Adam, together with her dedicated team.
UTM strategically organised two high-impact Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), namely FGD 1 on Advanced Chemical and Material, and FGD 2 on Advanced Electrical and Electronic.
These FGDs were moderated by the Deputy Deans (Research & Innovation) of the Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering (FKT) and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FKE), UTM, ensuring that every discussion was precisely aligned with the faculties’ niche expertise and industry needs.
The true value of this session lay in its transition from abstract theory to tangible collaboration, as real-world industry problem statements were addressed with open transparency. By formulating practical, research-driven resolutions, the participants successfully moved beyond identifying barriers toward building stronger, more functional bridges between the industrial and academic sectors. This sense of partnership was further solidified by a reinforced commitment to active industry participation in URIIS 2026, ensuring that the momentum generated remains sustainable. Ultimately, the session’s significance was defined by a rare and meaningful alignment of intent, where industry needs and university strengths converged to create a unified roadmap for expertise-driven execution.
The primary objective moving forward is to transition from a fragmented, siloed approach to a centralised, standard-aligned ecosystem where policy stability encourages long-term industry investment in academic research.
The dialogue served as a powerful reaffirmation of the fundamental principle that for research and innovation to be truly valuable, they must be anchored in solving real-world problems and generating tangible socio-economic impact. By emphasising that collaboration must ultimately pave the way for real investment, the session moved the needle from theoretical discussion to actionable progress. With this renewed sense of purpose, the momentum for cross-sector partnerships has officially ignited, laying a robust foundation for the future. As these strategic alliances continue to form and solidify, the collective journey toward URIIS 2026 has gained unprecedented strength and clarity, ensuring that the upcoming milestone is backed by a unified and results-oriented ecosystem.
Together, we are shaping the future of industry-university research and innovation in Malaysia. See you in September 2026 for the Main Event of URIIS 2026.
