MSU leads RIPHEN into a future of sustainable research

Universities are institutional sources of knowledge, which they collect, disseminate, and discover through research. Since 2007, university research generated more than RM6 billion in revenue; a 55 percent return on the initial investment and an important contributor to the national economy. Management and Science University (MSU) leads the way to sustainable research with an MoU signing ceremony for the Research and Innovation of Private Higher Education Network (RIPHEN).

Launched earlier this year at the MSU-hosted 2019 PERINTIS, RIPHEN is an MSU initiative to stimulate a culture of research and innovation among local private higher education providers. RIPHEN’s mission of sustainable research supports a vision of commercializing the innovative outputs of its collaborating members.

Officiating the MoU signing ceremony was MSU President and RIPHEN Patron, Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Wira Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid.

“The higher education landscape now is a highly challenging one. The future is going to be even more challenging and demanding. We must move to the way of 21st century, that is collaboration. We must collaborate to move forward and be ahead in the region and the world; building a future for our students, our generation, and Malaysia.

“And we are ready to move with PERINTIS 2.0; a network association of common thinking and vision concerning sustainable research. It is my hope for RIPHEN to carry the Malaysian flag for good research as well as teaching and learning.”

Among those present for the RIPHEN MoU signing ceremony at MSU’s Performing Arts Theatre were MSU Vice-Chancellor Professor, Datuk Dr Junainah Abd Hamid; UTP Vice-Chancellor and CEO Professor, Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib; MMU President and CEO Professor, Datuk Ts Dr Ahmad Rafi Mohamed Eshaq; IUKL Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Ideris Zakaria; and Nilai University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Roslan Zainal Abidin.

A workshop on RIPHEN Joint Research Projects (JRPs) under the umbrella theme of Smart Sustainable Communities saw discussions on the focus groups of digital education, led by MSU; sustainable energy (UTP); intelligent energy-storage (renewable energy) (IUKL); Energy 4.0 – smart energy load supply (Nilai University); power engineering (UNITEN); rail engineering, rail technology (UniKL); and future cities (MMU).

Among its objectives besides promoting a culture of research and innovation, RIPHEN shall be a sharing platform and providing advice to researchers. It also seeks to attract investments through collaboration with industry. In its Secretariat role, MSU is represented by the university’s Research Management Centre (RMC).

RIPHEN activities in the pipeline include a RIPHEN Journal of Sustainable Communities; a RIPHEN Forum on Research, Innovation, and Commercialization; a RIPHEN webpage; and PERINTIS 2020.