AN IMPACT STUDY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MALAYSIAN RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

Malaysia had entrusted five of its most established universities namely Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to spearhead R&D activities for the nation. Called the Malaysian Research Universities (MRUs), these universities are important catalysts for transforming Malaysia into a regional and global centre of educational and research excellence and a testbed for leading global industries to undertake innovative R&D activities. ASM was commissioned by the MOE to carry out an impact assessment of the implementation of these MRUs.

The study reports that MRUs have performed well when compared to other universities of similar nature and age. Our MRUs have the right building blocks in place, which have contributed to the significant improvements in their global positioning over the years. Consistent support from the external environment such as funding, regulations and incentives will allow the MRUs to continuously reinforce and reenergise their research ecosystem to enhance their competitiveness as well as translate their findings to spur key sectors of the economy and contribute to nation-building. The study’s findings have provided a launchpad for the creation of the national framework to synergise national planning and implementation in developing Malaysia’s key socio-economic sectors driven by science and technology.