Industry support needed to commercialise university research products – UM VC

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KUALA LUMPUR: Support from local and international industries were required to commercialise research products by local universities, said Universiti Malaya (UM) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Amin Jalaludin.

He said industries played an important role in assisting researchers with facilities and equipment which were not available at the universities.

“Products created by lecturers and students in research if commercialised with the assistance of the industry could generate revenue for the country and improve the reputation of the universities involved,” he told Bernama after the ‘Ruang Bicara’ programme on ‘University Research: Hopes and Objectives’ broadcasted ‘live’ over Bernama TV tonight.

The programme was helmed by Sherkawi Jirim, with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Fauzi Ramlan also as a panellist.

Mohd Amin said last year, UM succeeded in patenting 366 products but only 12 of them were commercialised.

“Nevertheless, this year we are targeting 20 products to be commercialised and we are encouraging both local and international industries to join us in achieving the target,” he said.

Mohd Amin said following the recognition of five universities as research universities, namely UM, UPM, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2006, the total number of research products churned out by Malaysia surpassed those from Singapore and Thailand in 2010 and 2011.

“Before 2006, research output by Malaysia was quite low at 5,000 but it increased to 20,000 items in 2010 and 2011,” he said.

Mohd Fauzi felt there should be even greater efforts to continue the current momentum in research at the local research universities.

“In this regard, the desire of the government to produce more Phd graduates will be met if the allocation for research is raised proportionally,” he said.

He added that so far, the government had allocated RM100 million for each research university per year under the 10th Malaysia Plan, but due to the need for more facilities like laboratories and sophisticated equipment, the amount was still insufficient.– BERNAMA