Connecting academia with industry

IN November last year, the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (Mestecc) Minister announced that RM16mil would be allocated as grants for research and development (R&D) under the I-Connect initiative, a collaborative platform for researchers, industry, the government and NGOs.

This is not the first effort by the government to bridge these fundamental components for national development. About 20 years ago, at the open day of a premier government technology development agency, a huge banner bearing the slogan “Market Driven R&D” was hung outside its entrance while intensive discussions about the subject went on inside.