KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), through its Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI), successfully hosted SUSTAIN-AI 2026: Advancing Sustainable Artificial Intelligence through Research and Innovation at the Future Ready Classroom, Menara Razak, UTM Kuala Lumpur.

The landmark event brought together academics, researchers, students, industry representatives, and international partners to explore emerging developments in artificial intelligence (AI) while strengthening global collaborations for sustainable and responsible AI innovation.

A key highlight of the event was the official launch of the SUSTAIN-AI Research Hub, a strategic international initiative jointly established by UTM, the University of York (UoY) from the United Kingdom, and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB).

The hub is supported by the British Council through the UK–Malaysia–ASEAN+3 Going Global Partnerships Grant 2025–2027, reflecting a shared vision to advance impactful research, innovation, talent development, and policy engagement in sustainable AI across the region.

The launch ceremony was graced by Brinda Chandran, Programme Manager (Education) of the British Council Malaysia, whose presence underscored the British Council’s commitment to fostering international partnerships and research excellence between the United Kingdom and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

The initiative exemplifies the objectives of the Going Global Partnerships programme in creating meaningful collaborations that address global challenges through education, research, and innovation.

The programme commenced with welcoming remarks by the Deputy Dean (Academic and Student Affairs) of FAI UTM, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Suriayati Chuprat. In her address, she highlighted the transformative role of AI in shaping the future of society and emphasised the importance of international cooperation in ensuring that AI technologies are developed and deployed responsibly.

She further noted that the SUSTAIN-AI Research Hub would serve as a platform for multidisciplinary research, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and innovation that benefits Malaysia, ASEAN, and the broader global community.

The morning session featured distinguished speakers from the University of York and regional research institutions. Dr. Pengcheng Liu, associate professor in Robotics and Applied Control, UoY, delivered an inspiring keynote entitled “From Smart Bodies to Brain-Inspired Intelligence: Towards Smarter AI and Life-Long Learning Machines.”

His presentation explored the evolution of intelligent robotic systems and the future of lifelong learning machines capable of adapting to complex real-world environments.

This was followed by a research sharing session by Dr. Shibao Yang, postdoctoral researcher in Robotics and Applied Control, UoY, who presented “Adaptive Inverse Kinematics for Robotic Manipulation: A Progressive Framework for Learning-Enhanced Inverse Kinematics.”

The session showcased innovative approaches to robotic manipulation and learning-based control systems, highlighting emerging opportunities in advanced robotics research.

The event also featured a thought-provoking presentation by the Director of the Centre for Green Technology and Sustainable Research and Research Chairperson for ASEAN COSTI SCMIT, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lim Tiong Hoo.

His talk, “Responsible Artificial Intelligence Research,” emphasised the need for ethical governance, transparency, accountability, and sustainability in AI research and deployment. He encouraged researchers and practitioners to adopt responsible AI principles to ensure that technological advancements contribute positively to society and the environment.

Following the official launch and networking session, participants engaged in lively discussions during the question-and-answer session, fostering exchanges of ideas on sustainable AI, robotics, governance, and future research opportunities. The event successfully created a collaborative platform for researchers and stakeholders from diverse disciplines to share perspectives and establish potential partnerships.

In the afternoon, participants took part in a Hands-on Robotics Workshop facilitated by Dr. Shibao Yang titled “Robots, Perception, and Real-World Applications: A Hands-On Primer for Future Engineers.” The workshop provided practical exposure to robotic perception systems, intelligent control mechanisms, and real-world engineering applications.

The successful launch of the SUSTAIN-AI Research Hub marks an important milestone in UTM’s efforts to position itself as a leading regional hub for sustainable and responsible artificial intelligence research.

Through collaborative research projects, researcher mobility programmes, joint publications, industry engagement, policy dialogue, and talent development initiatives, the hub aims to strengthen the AI ecosystem across Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Brunei, and the wider ASEAN region.

As AI continues to reshape economies and societies worldwide, SUSTAIN-AI represents a timely and strategic initiative that brings together international expertise to address pressing societal challenges through responsible innovation.

The event reaffirmed UTM’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge AI research while ensuring that technological progress remains ethical, inclusive, sustainable, and beneficial to humanity.