UCSI Radio
On 16 December 2024, UCSI and the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) hosted Friends of Sustainable Malaysia: The Alternatives to COP16 and COP29 – A Way Forward for Malaysia and ASEAN. The event brought together nearly 50 participants from diverse backgrounds and aimed to discuss climate change and biodiversity challenges in Malaysia and the ASEAN region. The event provided a valuable platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and fostering partnerships to drive sustainable development forward.
A workshop on Science Diplomacy, jointly organised by the International Institute of Science Diplomacy and Sustainability UCSI University and the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held from 20 – 22 September 2024 at the Bangi Golf Resort.
INGSA - Asia, represented by Tan Wee Hoe and Aishwuriya, attended the INGSA Conference and promoted UCSI’s International Institute of Science Diplomacy and Sustainability at the INGSA - Asia Grassroots Science Promotion Awards conference.
The International Institute of Science Diplomacy and Sustainability hosted a two-day programme for 60 participants from Ranepa University, Russia. The programme also included senior officers participants from governmental agencies and governmental-linked corporations. A MoU signing ceremony also took place, further cementing the partnership between UCSI and Ranepa University.
The training programme was a collaborative initiative organised by several esteemed institutions including the International Institute of Science Diplomacy and Sustainability (IISDS), UCSI University, the Science Diplomacy Centre in the USA and MIGHT. This joint effort aimed to enhance participants' understanding of science diplomacy through an intensive, closed-door course designed for those seeking to improve their skills and knowledge in this important field.
Tan Sri Zakri, our distinguished professor and founding director of the International Institute for Science Diplomacy and Sustainability (IISDS), recently hosted an enlightening institutional lecture on October 5th. This momentous occasion was graced by the presence of Dr Salvator Arico, the CEO of the International Science Council in Paris, France.
Dr Salvator Arico boasts an impressive professional journey, spanning over three decades, which includes serving as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board. He has authored over 90 publications on biodiversity, the ocean, global change as well as science and technology. His wealth of knowledge promises to be an invaluable resource for all those who learnt from him.
The focal point of this captivating in-person lecture revolved around the subject of “Science Diplomacy: Advancing Global Governance of Marine and Oceanic Ecosystems.”
Foreign Minister Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir has officially inaugurated UCSI University’s Institute of Science Diplomacy and Sustainability. Led by Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid, this innovative Institute is set to bridge the gap between the scientific community and policymakers in ASEAN and beyond.
Dr Rita Colwell is a world-renowned environmental microbiologist and scientific administrator. She was the first woman to serve as director of the US National Science Foundation. A member of the US National Academy of Sciences, Dr Colwell received the National Medal of Science for her work in studying oceans' climate and human health.
In recognition of her work in the work in the world’s polar regions, the geological site in Antarctica, Colwell Massif, has been named in her honour. She was awarded the Mahathir Science Award in 2015 for her work on the bacterium that causes cholera.
During US President Barack Obama’s tenure, she was one of three science special envoys appointed by the Secretary of State to promote science diplomacy among developing nations. She was instrumental in spreading community-based water safety education and introducing viable, low-cost technological innovations in communities throughout Asia-Pacific and Africa.
UCSI University’s International Institute for Science Diplomacy and Sustainability (IISDS) held its 2nd IISDS Invitational Lecture 2023 titled “The involvement of a scientist in science diplomacy” on 20 February 2023. Special Guest Speaker, Dato’ Dr Saw Leng Guan spoke about the essence of science diplomacy, as manifested in meetings of the UN and the work of such bodies like the IPBES. Distinguished Professor Tan Sri Dr Zakri Bin Abdul Hamid, FASc, the founding director of IISDS moderated the lecture session at UCSI University KL Campus.
UCSI University's International Institute for Science Diplomacy and Sustainability (IISDS) held a hybrid sharing session on The Coral Triangle Initiative: A Regional Undertaking on Science Diplomacy on 16 January 2023. The special guest speaker, Dr Mohd Kushairi bin Mohd Rajuddin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, shared his views, experience, and thoughts on the abovementioned issues. The session was moderated by Tan Sri Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid, Distinguished Professor and Founding Director of IISDS, UCSI University.
