Research delegation strengthens links with Malaysia

A delegation of research leaders from an Australian network known as the Innovative Research Universities began a week-long visit to Malaysia on Monday aimed at forging new research collaborations and strengthening existing relationships.

The 20-member delegation from the group of seven comprehensive universities have been meeting with government officials and academic heads from Malaysian universities.

Chair of the group, Professor Ian O’Connor, is vice-chancellor of Griffith University in Brisbane. He said universities in the group recognised that research and innovation were at the heart of the successful development of countries across the world.

To access the international world of research effectively, Australia and Malaysia needed to link researchers around the globe to the benefit of all involved.

“We wish to lay the basis for research linkages and partnerships between IRU members and Malaysian universities," O’Connor said.

"In this we align with Australian government objectives and with the objectives of Malaysia's Higher Education Strategic Plan which seeks to encourage collaboration with foreign universities to support joint research and development.

“The creation of such linkages will act to strengthen the research capacity of both our countries." He and his colleagues were delighted to have the opportunity to visit their counterparts in Malaysia and to strengthen existing relationships and create new ties with Malaysian universities, O’Connor said.

The delegation has been meeting with officials from the Ministry of Higher Education and attended an “Australia-Malaysia Research and Innovation Forum”, hosted by the Australian High Commission on Tuesday.

Participants from a wide range of Malaysian universities explored developments in research in Australia and Malaysia. The Australians have also been visiting the five Malaysian research universities to identify potential research links between universities in the two countries.

The visit follows the signing last month of a Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement by Mustapa Mohamed, Malaysia's Minister for International Trade and Industry, and Dr Craig Emerson, Australia's Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, in Kuala Lumpur.

The IRU network comprises Charles Darwin, Flinders, Griffith, James Cook, La Trobe and Murdoch universities, and the University of Newcastle.

Original source here.