Translational research to boost industry, public services

KUCHING: Sarawak is placing greater emphasis on translating research into practical applications to strengthen industry, public services and commercial outcomes.

The move is supported by RM26 million in translational research funding involving 357 multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary projects across various fields.

“If Sarawak is to participate meaningfully in increasingly technology-driven industries, we cannot be only users of technologies developed elsewhere,” said Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.

Sagah’s speech was delivered by Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development I (Education and Innovation) Sarawak, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, at the inaugural Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Digital Research Conference 2026.

Sagah said Sarawak must also build the capability to understand, improve and develop technologies to create more knowledge, intellectual property and technical expertise locally.

He said the conference provided an important platform to strengthen connections across Sarawak’s research ecosystem while linking research capabilities with industry and wider community needs.

The conference showcased research projects addressing cancer risk awareness, precision irrigation, municipal waste forecasting and collection routing, demonstrating the potential for practical applications.

The CoE’s OpenLab, testbeds and living labs provide environments for research and product development, supporting the development and validation of solutions for wider adoption.

“The CoE Pavilion also connects researchers with industry and government agencies to explore joint research, validation and adoption opportunities arising from research projects.

“Five spin-offs emerging from CoE-supported research were also showcased, highlighting efforts to transform research outcomes into ventures and potential commercial opportunities,” he said.

The CoE network comprises six Sarawak-based university partners and five external university partners, including Universiti Malaya and the National University of Singapore.

Other partners include the University of Canterbury, University of New South Wales and University of Melbourne, providing opportunities for wider expertise, joint research and knowledge exchange.

Research areas covered include digital health, advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, smart cities, green energy and energy transition, space, advanced mobility, food security, future society and cybersecurity.

The inaugural CoE Digital Research Conference 2026 formed one of five parallel tracks at the ninth International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS26).

Held under the theme ‘Shaping the Next Chapter of Collaborative Research’, the conference focused on strengthening collaboration across the research ecosystem and encouraging greater research adoption.

IDECS26 was hosted by the Sarawak Government and jointly organised by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation, Sarawak Multimedia Authority and Sarawak Information Systems.

The conference was held under the wider IDECS26 theme, ‘Scaling Innovation Ecosystems for a Borderless Economy: Earth, Orbit & Beyond’.