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STRENGTHEN INNOVATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION

EDIT L Inovasi Intelek 1UUM ONLINE: Universities need to create a conducive environment for researchers to work in so that they will continue to work together in the future on a stronger innovation and commercialization agenda.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Dr Russayani Ismail said that efforts to promote innovation and commercialization activities are not confined to one party but must be shared by all because the agenda of innovation, commercialization, entrepreneurship development and social involvement has continuity from one level to another.

"Hence, every university has a responsibility to continue to provide support to researchers to produce quality products and services and lead to the concepts of demand-driven, industrial based and real-world problems.

"Not only are the products and services able to meet the demands of end users, but they are also expected to be able to meet the needs of the industry and solve the problems that occur today," she said.

She explained that innovation and commercialisation are seen as significant aspects of a research ecosystem, and innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialisation further take an organisation to a higher level.

"The findings of the research can highlight the organisation among industry players and stakeholders, in addition to fostering innovative practises among students and staff."

"Thus, the three-day InnoCOL organised by Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) as the secretariat and host of the programme under the supervision of the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) focuses on the development of the innovation ecosystem and commercialisation in public and private higher education institutions," she said during the opening ceremony of the Innovation Leadership and Intellectual Property Commercialisation (InnoCoL) Programme Series 1 at Angsana Hall, EDC-UUM, last night.

Through this programme, participants are also exposed to challenges, strategies, and hands-on activities for improving the ecosystem, creating innovative products, and developing spin-off companies.

"UUM is a management university, and even though this university focuses on the field of social sciences, the lecturers are beginning to realise the importance of intellectual property and commercialisation.

"Students and staff at institutions of higher education have innovative and highly competitive capabilities in their respective fields, so it is our job as leaders at IHL to unearth hidden talents and abilities and nurture those talents with various awareness training programmes, hands-on activities, and advisory services on an ongoing basis.

"In line with the national research, research development, and commercialisation agenda, UUM also provides various platforms to complete the research, development, commercialisation, and innovation (R.D.C.I.) ecosystem among staff and students," she said.

She reiterated that UUM has introduced various mediums such as intellectual property awareness programmes produced from research, pre-commercialisation activities such as pitching decks, IP and commercialisation clinics, the creation of pre-commercialisation grants, and the creation and improvement of policies.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Innovation and Commercialisation Centre (ICC) and Head of the InnoCoL Programme, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr Mohd Faizal Omar expressed his appreciation to AKEPT for their cooperation and trust in UUM to host and organise InnoCoL.

He described the programme as providing exposure to intellectual property management and commercialization to the participants, who came from various public and private universities throughout Malaysia.