KUCHING: The World Wide Fund for Nature–Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) and Curtin Sarawak have created a path to work together in promoting, developing and strengthening conservation, ecotourism and sustainable development efforts.
Dionysius (second left) exchanging the MoU documents with Jim. Also seen are (from left), Chan, Kuek, King and Hon.
The cooperation was made possible when WWF-Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Curtin Sarawak Research Institute (CSRI), the multi-disciplinary research institute of Curtin Sarawak, at WWF-Malaysia office yesterday.
WWF-Malaysia executive director and chief executive officer Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma and Curtin Sarawak pro vice-chancellor and chief executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski signed the MoU, witnessed by WWF head of conservation for Sarawak, Dr Henry Chan, CSRI senior research fellow Dr Lisa Marie King, and WWF-Malaysia Sarawak office policy manager Jason Hon as well as director of CSRI, professor Clem Kuek.
The two-year scope of collaboration covers social and environmental science research within Borneo especially ecotourism related projects and activities; nature conservation related activities, knowledge transfer, staff training, collaborative efforts on grant proposals, media releases, letters of support and funding support when available.
“The MoU this morning culminates after many discussions between WWF-Malaysia and CSRI, Curtin University on how we could work together to promote, develop and strengthen conservation, ecotourism and sustainable development efforts in Sarawak and broader Borneo region,” said Dionysius.
He said they were looking forward to learn from the university in areas of developing ecotourism plans within various regions of Borneo, as well as marketing strategies for a variety of projects and local products and cross-training opportunities for staff and students.
“We are looking forward to engage in more staff exchange programmes for knowledge transfer and joint training programmes, seminars or academic meetings for the benefit of both Curtin University and WWF in the near future,” he said.
Jim who also spoke said the signing of MoU provides huge potential for collaboration between both organisations in the long term.
“I am sure that WWF-Malaysia’s vast experience in Malaysia and Borneo, including the extensive research you have carried out in various areas, could be leveraged in many ways with the expertise and research strengths of the Curtin Sarawak Research Institute,” he said.
As Curtin University’s largest offshore campus here in the state and one of the leading foreign branch campuses in the country, he said their research activity – much of it spearheaded by the CSRI – has experienced extremely strong growth over the years in volume and significance.
“We are now rapidly ramping up our already strong research capacities, including a new Bio Valley Research and Development Park funded by state government and new engineering buildings for teaching and postgraduate work in order to closely support and meet the particular research needs of local communities, government and local industry,” he added.
He also revealed it was also Curtin Sarawak’s mission to engage communities and transform lives through leadership, innovation and excellence in teaching and research, and underpinning these endeavours have been strong strategic partnerships with NGOs, other educational institutions, industry, business and government, which they continue to nurture and expand to ensure outcomes that truly benefit local communities.