Prof Zulkifli: UPM will adopt a multi-pronged approach to sustain its research activities. Our key focus will be to advance industrial and community-driven research that could aid post-pandemic recovery.
The RM400mil allocation for research and development (R&D) efforts under various ministries and agencies to support the development of science and technology under Budget 2021 is expected to spur product commercialisation among private higher learning institutes, and encourage greater online collaboration between institutions, researchers and students across the higher education community, Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities president Datuk Dr Parmjit Singh had earlier noted, while Academy of Sciences Malaysia president and fellow Prof Datuk Dr Asma Ismail expressed hope that the fund would also be used to allow for the purchasing of equipment to upgrade the facilities and infrastructure at public varsities.
No doubt, with varsities struggling to cope with the costs of equipping their campuses with digital infrastructure and training their educators for teaching and learning in the new normal, and the challenge of bringing in new students amid the pandemic, funding for research will be an uphill battle.
