KOTA KINABALU: Research that can bring about positive impact to the communities should be carried out to enhance the quality of life of the people, said Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah.
For instance, results from the seaweed research at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has propelled the seaweed industry in Sabah into an important sector, he said.
The research has also contributed to elevating the people’s economic level and boosted the culture of innovation here, Tan said in a speech delivered by the Assistant Minister of Industrial Development, Datuk Bolkiah Ismail, who represented him at launch of UMS Expo for Student Career, Research and Industry Linkages (EXPOSuRe) here yesterday.
Tan said the establishment of higher learning institutions in Sabah had given rise to holistic academic transformation.
“I believe a lot of research and knowledge exploration are being carried out in these ‘knowledge warehouses’,” he said.
Tan said the government is striving to provide job opportunities to the people, as well as offering intensive trainings to raise the skills level and employability of graduates.
Nonetheless, he said job seekers must work hard, grab any opportunities that come by and be ready to face a more challenging job market.
On EXPOSuRe, Tan said it was a good medium for knowledge exploration and to build industrial relationship. He added that Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad’s (TalentCorp) participation in EXPOSuRe, and the programmes that it offered, would prepare graduates for the workforce.
Meanwhile, UMS vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah said the event would allow students to meet with industry players and exhibit the research they have conducted in the university.
A series of activities were held during EXPOSuRe, including academic exhibition, research exhibition and career carnival.
Harun was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International) Professor Dr Shariff Abd Kadir S. Omang Al-Haj, who also delivered the former’s speech.
Harun said the programme would create collaboration between students, researchers and industry players in terms of future commercialization opportunities, as well as sponsorship opportunities by interested industry players on postgraduate students’ researches.
“This programme also showcases the results of university researches to the industry. The sharing of knowledge and expertise is one of UMS’aspirations to expand its functions and to allow communities to benefit from the knowledge.”
Also present at the launching were UMS board chairman Tun Dato’Seri Zaki Tun Azmi, TalentCorp chief executive officer Johan Mahmood Merican and EXPOSuRe organizing chairperson Datin Dr Mariam Abdul Latip.