Shabudin (left), together with (from second left) Yussibnosh, Masduki and other guests watching a video presentation of last year’s Techon before launching this year’s conference. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: Polytechnics are encouraged to move towards a more innovative culture and participate in high quality researches to drive the country into becoming a developed nation by 2020.
Polytechnic Education deputy director-general (Strategic) Shabudin Man said this is because polytechnics throughout the country have greatly contributed to the nation’s innovation ecosystem and should continue becoming the driver to initiate research of products that will contribute to solving issues faced by various industries, while inculcating innovation in society.
He added that polytechnics should also strive to play a bigger role in aiding the growth of technology, triggering new ideas, innovations and high impact initiatives in all areas and not just the field of engineering.
“Polytechnics have been providing the manpower to various industries in the country and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) is now considered the main sector to provide sufficient manpower to drive the country into achieving developed nation status by 2020.
“We need to move forward to inculcate a culture of doing more high quality researches that are sufficient to enable the commercialisation of our findings. We must move towards a more innovative culture and produce more researchers to enhance knowledge and ability to transform the country,” Shabudin said in his welcoming speech at the opening of the 2nd Technology and Innovation Conference (Techon 2016) at Pullman Hotel here yesterday.
Tellian assemblyman Yussibnosh Balo, in his officiating speech, advised researchers to do follow-up on their findings and results so that the studies can be converted into outputs beneficial to future users. He emphasised the importance of exploring opportunities to commercialise innovative products, saying results that are not converted into consumer goods and have no commercial value will not bring any benefit either in the micro or macro-economic context.
“Research products could create thousands of new items that will benefit end users. The success of an industry is highly dependent on the results of research. I hope both academia and the industry would think laterally and equally to contribute to the exploration of new ideas and research focusing on innovative and high impact initiatives,” he continued.
Themed ‘Managing Transformation in Globalisation of Technology and Innovation’, the three-day conference which ends tomorrow is organised by Mukah Polytechnic in collaboration with its counterparts in Kuching, Betong, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan as well as Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS).
Techon 2016 provides a platform for researchers to present findings aimed to inject creative innovation as a primary drive to the nation’s growth. The conference also provides room for knowledge sharing, exchanging expertise and innovative ideas among researchers from both the public and private sectors.
This year’s edition managed to attract over 70 participants, including from neighbouring Indonesia. A total of 54 research papers and eight posters will be presented throughout the conference involving e-learning, engineering, green technology, social sciences and innovation.
Also present were Mukah Polytechnic deputy director (Academic) Ahmad Masduki Selamat.