Powerful impact

SOLID research initiatives can create powerful societal impact by addressing and finding solutions to global challenges, eventually contributing towards the betterment of the community and the world.
Since its inception in 1998, Monash University Malaysia has continued to strengthen its research capabilities to become a leading research-led education institution that nurtures, develops and sustains knowledge and innovations, while aptly utilising sustainable and translational research to improve the lives of others.
Vice president (Research and Development), Prof Mahendhiran Nair explained that the university has multi-disciplinary research platforms in five key areas – each is strategic to the development of Malaysia and the region.
Aligned with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, these include Tropical Medicine and Biology, Advanced Engineering, Global Asia in the 21st Century (GA21), Brain Research Institute Monash Sunway (BRIMS), and a multi-disciplinary health and demographic surveillance site, the South East Asian Community Observatory (SEACO).
Mahendhiran explained that the five key research platforms were continuously refined to ensure each aligned with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals and contributed to the strategic development of Malaysia and its regional economies.
The platforms touch on the UN's 17 goals, tackling issues such as the eradication of poverty and hunger, while ensuring policies and strategies implemented contributed to the development of a just, environmentally-friendly and economically sustainable society.
The term "quadruple-helix" is used to describe the university's strong partnerships and linkages between the government, industry, university and community organisations. Due to their strong partnerships, Mahendhiran explained that the university strives to ensure that their education, research and development translated into outcomes that benefits all segments of society in the region.
"We work with industries on a number of areas in all five platforms. These include industries in the life science areas, engineering and manufacturing, pharmaceutical companies and individuals in community organisations, among others," he said.
Reiterating that research and development, in addition to educational development, is critical in enhancing the quadruple helix that impacts the community through translational research and educational innovations, Mahendhiran added that their researchers have also worked with the government in policy planning, both at the district, state and federal level.
"Many of our researchers provide policy analysis for key government agencies, industry and community organisations for a whole range of community-based issues," he said.
He added that the establishment of Monash University Malaysia as an international branch campus in 1998 has provided the country access to high-quality international education and researches that are relevant to the strategic development of the region and global community; contributed to Malaysia's talent development strategy; attracted talents back to Malaysia; raised the quality of higher education in the country; enhanced research-enriched teaching and learning materials and content from the region and enabled Malaysia to be part of the global knowledge and innovation network.
"All the above is what makes the vision of making Malaysia a regional centre for educational and research excellence a reality," said Mahendhiran.
For more information, visit www.monash.edu.my