2025

29 May

UCSI forum urges stronger industry-academia partnerships to accelerate Malaysia’s circular economy

From left: UCSI Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment Academician Prof Dato’ Dr Ahmad Ibrahim, MOSTI deputy secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Nor Azman Hassan, MRANTI chairperson Prof Dr Rofina Yasmin Othman and FMM Environmental Management and Circular Economy Committee vice-chair Gobinathan Kumaran Nair engage in a dynamic exchange on accelerating Malaysia’s circular economy at the UCSI Grand Challenges Forum.

From left: FMM Environmental Management and Circular Economy Committee vice-chair Gobinathan Kumaran Nair, UCSI Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment Academician Prof Dato’ Dr Ahmad Ibrahim, MRANTI chairperson Prof Dr Rofina Yasmin Othman, MOSTI deputy secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Nor Azman Hassan, UCSI vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir, UCSI deputy vice-chancellor of Research and Postgraduate Studies Distinguished Prof Dr Phang Siew Moi and UCSI deputy vice-chancellor of Academic and Internationalisation Prof Datuk Dr Rohana Yusof -- pictured at the UCSI Grand Challenges Forum on Malaysia’s circular economy transition.

❮ ❯

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s push towards a circular economy will fall short without stronger, more structured collaboration between government, industry and academia, said experts at a high-level forum hosted by UCSI University.

Themed Malaysia Towards a Circular Economy: The Critical Role of Research and Technology, the forum brought together leaders from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).

A recurring point during the discussion was the need to break down silos between the public and private sectors.

“We have to co-create together. We cannot just leave industry, the private sector and institutions on their own,” said MOSTI deputy secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Nor Azman Hassan in his keynote address.

To support this, the government launched the National Fund-of-Funds under Khazanah Nasional Bhd – a RM1bil fund aimed at helping venture capital firms invest in local startups, encouraging deeper collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs and industry players.

The MOSTI representative also shared how MRANTI has been appointed to work closely with Technology Transfer Offices at research universities to help transition innovations to maturity and connect them with potential industry partners and innovation seekers.

MRANTI chairperson Prof Dr Rofina Yasmin Othman shared, “We’re encouraging universities to have permanent technology transfers. We’re trying to work with public service departments to recognise innovation managers.”

FMM Environmental Management and Circular Economy Committee vice-chair Gobinathan Kumaran Nair called on universities to be more proactive in engaging with industry players, with the government acting as a facilitator.

UCSI vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir said in her opening speech, “Through these collective strengths, we can accelerate Malaysia’s transition to a circular economy — not as isolated actors, but as one ecosystem working in unison.”

This forum marks the first instalment of the UCSI Grand Challenges Forum Series — a platform to spark critical dialogue and drive action on national and global priorities.

Ranked in the world’s top 1% in the QS World University Rankings 2025 by virtue of its top 265 ranking, UCSI stands out as one of Asia’s top private universities.