FOREWORD BY VICE PRESIDENT (R&D AND COMMERCIALISATION)
No university in this world can succeed without focusing on research and development (R&D). A university is supposed to be the place that creates new knowledge, disseminates knowledge and applies the knowledge for the benefit of mankind. R&D is vital for this role of a university. In a globalised world today, national boundary has become less significant in terms of flow of information, goods and people. As a country, we are in competition with the rest of the world to create more value from human and other resources that we have. The increase in such value cannot come about without R&D. Universities being the frontrunners in R&D in this country have a very important role to play and UTAR is determined to play the role well.
Realising the importance of encouraging research activities among its
academics, UTAR has, since its establishment as a university in 2002, at
the institutional level put in place the necessary framework to
encourage research, such as the introduction of the UTAR Research Fund,
research policies and guidelines, the UTAR Global Research Network with
International Collaborative Partners from universities internationally
and locally, the establishment of research centres focusing on several
niche areas and the signing of numerous MOUs with local industry
partners and renowned international universities to encourage research
collaborations. Trainings to improve and enhance research skills and
other necessary competencies of UTAR academics are also conducted
regularly. A strong research culture has been cultivated and enhanced in
UTAR.
In the past one year UTAR has continued to strengthen
its pursuance of certain key milestones as set in the UTAR 10-year
Strategic Plan (2013 - 2022). Several initiatives that have been set up
since 2013 gained further momentum. It is with pleasure that I present
to you the following achievements as of 31 December 2016:
- The 1-day UTAR MOHE Grant applications Evaluation Workshop initiated in 2016 involving UTAR researchers (Associate Professor and Professor) who qualify as panel evaluators facilitated an effective evaluation process as well as submission of recommended applications by the stipulated MOHE deadline. The Workshop resulted in ten (10) FRGS applications amounting RM813,999.00 and one (1) TRGS programme amounting RM518,000.00 being approved in the MOHE Grants Application Phase 2016;
- 297 active and 118 student participants completed the UTAR Undergraduate Research Scheme (URS);
- 7 active UTAR Post-Doctoral Research Scholarship (PRS) scholars following further enhancement of the PRS guideline in May 2016;
- UTAR Research Publication Scheme (RPS) amounting RM990,426
was awarded to researchers in recognition of 435 of their high quality
publications in cited journals. The RPS Guideline (introduced in 2013)
was revised to strengthen the conditions in relation to the award and
utilisation of Research Publication Scheme (RPS) fund;
- The Guideline for Research Proposal Preparation was developed in 2016. The guideline is intended to assist and facilitate academics in preparing research proposals for various funding agencies. It is aspired that this will in turn encourage more academic staff to apply for research funding and the success rate of research grant awarded will increase;
- The Financial Support for Journal Paper Publication by Staff Policy (FSJPP) was updated to further encourage UTAR academic staff to publish their R&D findings in Q1 and Q2 international journals as listed in JCR-Thomson Reuters as well as to tighten the conditions in relation to the award of FSJPP to UTAR researchers.
R&D projects, research funding, collaborations in R&D, University
research centres, consultancies and awards represent the research
portfolio of a university and it is therefore important for it to be
documented. This R&D Annual Report is the University's attempt to do so
in a formal manner and it hope to give a comprehensive picture of R&D in
UTAR to our stakeholders including the industry, governmental agencies,
international and local partners, current and prospective students and
other interested parties. UTAR will continually strive towards R&D
Excellence.
Prof. Dr. Lee Sze Wei
Vice President (R&D and Commercialisation)