Striving for Excellence in Academic
Performance and Commercialization
Hean-Teik Chuah, Vice-President (R&D)
Stephen SC Tam, PhD MBA
Multimedia University, Malaysia
"Innovation and Technology Absorption for Growth"
Knowledge Economy Forum V
Prague, March 28-30, 2006
Part 1:
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Facts about Malaysia
Population: 26 million
GDP/capita = USD4,625 (2004)
MMU
Twin-Campus
WHY SET UP MMU?
• Before 1996, all are government universities
• Educational Act (1966) enables Ministry of
Higher Education to set up private universities
• Private universities have more autonomy in
areas of staff recruitment, salary structure,
running of universities, and charging of fees.
• Autonomy allows the management to run the
university as industry wants it to be – more
collaboration, more industry-driven syllabi, etc.
• MMU is the first private university in Malaysia
FACTS ABOUT MMU
as at 12 Jan 2006
Founded in 1996
Two campuses: Cyberjaya, Malacca
Language of Instruction: English
No. of undergraduate students: 16,500
No. of postgraduate students: 1,900
Percentage of foreign students thereof: 12%
No. of countries they come from: 75
No. of academic staff: 850
No. of non-academic staff: 670
Shareholding: 100% owned by Telekom Malaysia
p.9
Stephen SC Tam BSc(Eng), MSc, PhD, MBA
Professional Development:
5 years as engineer, Hong Kong
18 years university teaching, Singapore
5 years corporate management (founding CEO / COO), Singapore
now assoc. prof. & Director of CCTD, MMU, Malaysia
Consultancies: USA (1), Singapore (16), Hong Kong (1)
Co-Founders of Technology Startups:
DataMark Technologies
http://www.datamark-tech.com
DenseLight Semiconductors http://www.denselight.com
Professional Publications: >100 refereed papers, 7 patents
Scholarships: incl. Commonwealth Scholarship UK, 1981-83
Part 2:
CHALLENGES FOR A UNIVERSITY
Waves of Technological Revolution
Revolution
Agricultural
Revolution
Industrial
Revolution
Electronic
Revolution
Life
IT Revolution Science
Information Superhighways
Integrated Multimedia Networks
Rotation of
crops
Automatic Loom
Steam Engine
Microprocessors
Optical Fibers
Stock Breeding
1700
1760
Telephony
Electricity
1890
Steel
Gas Engine
Car, Air Plane
Oil Drilling
1910
Television
Computer
1950
1970
1990
Year
p.6
ROLES OF A UNIVERSITY
Key Roles
UNIVERSITY is for Creation, Preservation and
Dissemination of Knowledge
Extracted from www.onelook.com
Added Role of Proactive Commercialization
• Univ. can own inventions made under federal funding
• To involve actively in commercialization
• To try to license to small businesses and U.S. firms
• Government gets a royalty-free license for own use
Bayh-Dole Act 1980, www.cogr.edu/docs/Bremerarticle.htm
p.2
Challenges for Malaysian Universities:
• Democratization of Education
• Globalization & Internationalization
• Knowledge & Innovation-based Economy
• Competition
• Training of Ready-to-Market and
Ready-to-Evolve Graduates
p.7
Part 3:
Academic Excellence
p.8
Model for Academic Excellence
Up-to-date
Content
International
Excellent
Linkages
Staff
Good
Students
State-of-the-Art
Facilities

Graduates
Industry,
Policy Makers
& Community
Feedback and
Quality Control
p.11
What MMU Does for Academic Excellence






Paradigm Shift
Curriculum Development
Advancing R&D
Smart Partnership: Seamless Relationship
with Industry
Collaboration with Renowned Research
Institutions and Universities
Commercialization & Technopreneur
Development
p.12
PARADIGM SHIFT
Management







Committed to culture of excellence across the
whole of management
Transmit the culture to all levels of staff
Invite Industry to the university
Create Joint-Venture activities
Create “Industrial Professorships”
Encourage Industry/University Cross
Secondments
Recruitment based on track record/capability
p.13
Academic







Experienced staff to mentor junior staff
Emphasis of team research
Seeking external fund for research and top-up
salary from research funding/
contract/consultancy
Structure teaching to allow quality research
time & secondment to industry
Interaction with industry through joint R&D
Constantly update syllabus to suit industry
needs
Research NOT for the sake of research, but for
solving real-life problems
p.14
Administration



Develop clear Contractual, Intellectual
Ownership & Partnership Procedures
Abandon 9-5 Procrastination
Act as Facilitators rather than Gatekeepers
p.15
CURRICULUM

STAY FOCUSED AND UPGRADE
ICT
 ENGINEERING
 CREATIVE MULTIMEDIA
 MANAGEMENT & LAW
 e-LEARNING


FACING THE NEXT WAVE
LIFE SCIENCES
 DISTANCE LEARNING

p.16
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
OFFERED
Number of Programmes Offered According to Level:
• Postgraduate (Coursework & Research)
27
• Bachelor Degree
66
• Diploma
8
E-learning programmes = 3
Programmes offered overseas:
• MBA (China Information University, Bunda Mulia
University, Indonesia; Cornerstone College, Singapore)
• Bachelor of e-Business (Syrian Virtual University)
• Diploma in Creative Multimedia (National Electronic
Media Institute of South Africa)
R&D

EXTERNAL FUNDING
GOVERNMENT (IRPA, MGS, etc.)
 INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONS (Intel,
Motorola, Nokia, Microsoft, etc.)


INTERNAL FUNDING
RDDI GRANT
 ENDOWMENT FUND

p.17
PUBLIC SECTOR R&D EXPENDITURE AND NUMBER OF
SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS FOR SELECTED COUNTRIES
Country
R&D Expenditure (% of
GDP)
1998
2000
Scientists and Engineers (per
million population)
1985-1995
Australia
1.7
3,166
Canada
1.6
2,656
China
0.7
350
India
0.7
149
Japan
2.9
Malaysia
0.4
New Zealand
1.0
1,778
Singapore
1.8
2,728
United
Kingdom
1.9
2,417
United States
2.5
2.8
0.5
2.5
2000
6,309
500
700
3,732
Source: The World Competitiveness Yearbook, 1998, 2000
p.18
PARTNERSHIP WITH
INDUSTRY
Possible Areas of Collaboration:
 Source of R&D Funding
 Opportunities for Industrial R&D
 Consultancy Opportunities for Staff
 Technology Transfer thru’ Secondment/Internship
 Entrepreneurial Opportunities
 Curriculum Development
 Adjunct Staff from Industry
p.19
INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATION
Objectives:





Broaden and Strengthen Skills and Expertise
Exchange of Knowledge and Expertise to
University Community
Promote Linkages
Globalization & Internationalization
Centre of Brain Gain
p.20
Collaborations & Partnerships
“The university collaborates with over 100 international and local
industry players including giants like Microsoft, Alcatel, Nokia, Intel,
Siemens, Motorola, Fujitsu, and Maxis by way of research,
scholarship schemes, industrial training, establishment of
laboratories on the campus and staff exchange.”
Prof. Datuk Dr. Ghauth Jasmon
President, Multimedia University
Mr. Bill Gates, Microsoft
Mr. Rainer Althoff, Siemens
p.21
Examples of Industrial Collaborations
p.22
Examples of Industrial Collaborations
Schneider’s Power
Drive Lab
Komag Sputtering Facilities
Nokia 3-G Lab
Intel Advanced
Architecture Lab
Intel Microelectronics
Lab
p.23
Collaborations with Universities – Asia
Mongolia
• Mongolia Technical University
Korea
• Dongseo University
• Suwon Science College &
Univ. of Suwon
• Dankook Uni.
Russia
• Novosibirsk State Tech. Uni
Japan
• Tokai University Edu. Sys
• Tokai Univ. Inst. Of Medical
Science
• Tokyo Inst. Of Technology
• Waseda University
• Keio University
• Kyoto University
• Osaka Electro-Comm Univ.
• Seinan Gakuin University
• University of Tsukuba
Taiwan
China
• China Information University
• ZheJiang University
• Da Yeh University
• National Yunlin
Univ. of Science
and Technology
Thailand
• Asian Inst. of Technology
• Suan Dusit Rajabhat Univ.
• Kasetsart University
New Zealand
• Massey University
Indonesia
• Bunda Mulia University
Singapore
• Nanyang Technological University
• Cornerstone Institute
Vietnam
• Posts & Telecommunications Inst. of Tech.
• CMLC Group of Countries
Australia
• Monash University
• Queensland Univ. of Technology
• University of Queensland
• University of New South Wales
p.24
Collaborations with Universities
- Americas, Europe & Russia
Canada
• Alberta University
• University of Victoria
U.S.A.
• MIT
• Pennsylvania State Univ.
• Purdue University
• University of Pittsburg
• Univ. of Texas, Arlington
U.K.
• University of Dundee
• University of East London
• University of Bradford
• University of Sheffield
• University of Birmingham
Russia
• World
Technological Univ.
Belgium
• University of Louvain
Germany
• Technical University Munich
• Esslingen University
• Dresden University of Technology
• International University of Germany
• Fachhochschule Hof (Uni. of Applied
Sciences) Germany
Mexico
• Monterrey Institute of Technology
France
• ENST Bretagne
• University of La Rochelle
p.25
Collaborations with Universities – Middle East
& Indian Sub-Continent
UAE
• Ajman Univ. of Science & Technology
Syria
• Damascus University
• Syrian Virtual University
Iran
• Kish University
• Shariff University of Technology
• Amirkabir Univ. of Science and
Technology
Oman
• Modern College of Business & Science
• Ministry of Manpower
Yemen
• University of Science & Technology
Sudan
• Computer Man University
• Ministry of Higher Education
India
• Arulmigu Kalasalingam College of Engineering
• Anna University
• UTL Technologies, Bangalore
• netGuru India Pvt. Ltd.
• Inst. of Leadership Management
Bangladesh
• Bangladesh University of
Engineering & Technology
• Islamic Univ. of Chittagong
Sri Lanka
• Arthur C.Clarke Inst. Of
Modern Tech.
South Africa
• National Electronic Media Inst.
• Fort Hare University
p.26
Part 4:
Excellence in Commercialization,
Consultancy, and
Technopreneur Development
p.27
Commercialization, Consultancy &
Technopreneur Development
Objectives:





Broaden and Strengthen Skills and Expertise
Transfer of Knowledge and Expertise to Society
Promote Linkage between University and Industry
Assist Industry and Government in Identification
of Technology and Research Activities
Development of Entrepreneurs and Generation of
Revenue for Staff, Alumni and University
p.28
Model for Excellence in C-C-TD
Society at large:
Higher Productivity, New Jobs,
New Products, New Markets
External
Funding
$
$
Technology
Licensing
Consultancy
Technopreneur
Development
Commercialize
IP & Know-How
Know-How
$
Internal
Funding
Generate IP
Protect IP
p.29
MMU Centre for Commercialisation and Technopreneur Development
Technopreneur Development
• Incubate MMU Pre-Start-Up &
•
•
•
•
•
Start-Up companies
Organize technopreneurship training
Help build robust biz plans
Funded POC activities
Forge industry linkages
Partnership for growth
Commercialisation
• Identify commercially
viable projects
• Support inventors on
patent searches and
market research
• Funded POC
• Venture partner matching
• Technology licensing
Legal Advice
CCTD’s
Scope of
Services
• IPR Protection
• Provide legal advice to
inventors & start-ups on
business matters
p.30
Special TD Programs with MDC include…
1. NTDC




MDC
Microsoft
HP
MMU
2. JTrend
•
•
•
MDC
SUN
MMU
3. MDC Grant or Co-funding of TD projects generated
by MMU community
p.31
Current Status on Startups in the TD Program
(as at 20 Sept 2005 )
2005
Year
2001
2002
2003
2004
No. of Start-Ups
6
12
4
15
9
Cumulative No.
of Start-ups
6
18
22
37
46
No. of
Discontinued
Start-Ups
3
7
2
7
2
No. of
Graduated StartUps
-
-
1
-
2
No. of Active
Start-Ups at End
of Period
3
8
9
17
22
(YTD)
p.32
Examples of Start-Ups
Start-Up
Founders
Business
Meishio
1 FCM student
multimedia 3D visualization
Inventsys
1 MMU staff
info mgmt sys for healthcare
E-Transact
3 FOM
e-ticketing for express buses
Roommart
2 FOM + 1 friend roommate matching
Xirien
2 FOE + 1 FOM
home automation via cell phone
Prolix
3 FIT
property portal
neXus
4 FIST
automating workflow for websites
Knet
1 FOM (P/G)
directory of experts
Smartcity
4 FET
smartcards
Comconverge 1 FOE staff
mobile advertising
p.33
E-Transact
Biz Focus: A fast and effective
express bus electronic
ticketing management system
that provides connection for
multiple bus counters in
different towns and locations to
enhance efficiency and control
•
•
•
E-ticketing software for express bus operators
Steady streams of revenue with increasing customer base
Many local bus companies have signed up with E-Transact
p.35
Five startups are revenue-generating…
(as at 31 May 2005)
Company / Enterprise
A
B
C
D
E
Revenue in 2004/05
(annualized)
RM 200,000
RM
RM
RM
RM
24,000
70,000
300,000
200,000
p.37
Part 5:
In Summary…
p.38
CLOSELY-KNITTED
SEAMLESS RELATIONSHIP
Industry
University
Policy Makers
Community
p.44
Industry
Advisors
Industrial needs, future
trends, human
resource gaps etc.
Students
Subject, lecturer
assessment, comments,
suggestion, etc.
External
Examiners
Quality checking on
curriculum,
examinations, etc.
Curriculum review,
academic matters, etc.
R&D funding, govt.
policy, etc.
Other Govt
Institutions e.g.
MOSTI, KTAK
Alumni Society
(IEM, IEE, etc.)
Students’ needs,
problems, assessment,
feedbacks, etc.
MMU Experience
Curriculum
Student Affairs
(Academic Corporate
Planning)
(Student Affair
Committee)
Industrial Training
Faculty
Professional
Bodies
Job competence
feedbacks,
employment info,
suggestions, etc.
Other
supporting
units
Supporting services.
Senate
R&D
(Industrial Training
Committee)
(R&D Committee)
Programmes
assessment, approval,
accreditation,
professional
requirements etc.
Industrial places,
recruitment, human
resource requirement.
MOHE / EAC /
LAN / IEM / BEM
Industry
Curriculum, academic
matters, rules /
regulation, policy etc.
Curriculum comparison,
recognition, jointdergee, etc.
Other
Universities /
Research Ins.
p.39
KSFs for MMU
* Culture setting - meritocracy in staff recruitment
and promotion
* Visionary - able to come up with courses that
suit industry needs
* Selection of students - based on academic merits
* Close collaboration with industry in terms of
R&D, and in terms of syllabus development
* More flexible policies in terms of allowing staff to
do consultancy with industry.
Benefits to Students and Staff
* More places for students. Public university is
heavily subsidized by government 90-95%. So
places are limited
* More opportunities for staff to do industryrelated R&D, more consultancy and so they can
earn extra income without compromising quality
of education
* Open to international students – 12% are from
75 different countries - international experience
for all staff and students (25% of staff are
international staff)
NATIONAL AWARDS
Export Excellence Award 2004
(Services Category)
Ministry of International Trade
& Industry, Malaysia
“Most Progressive University
Technopreneurship Initiatives”
20 Aug 2005, Technopreneurs
Association of Malaysia
“Excellence in R&D, Private
Higher Education Institution
for University Level”,
20 Dec 2005, Ministry of
Higher Education, Malaysia
p.40
We like to thank the Czech Republic,
World Bank, and MMU for sponsoring
our participation in this Forum.
Prof Chuah: htchuah@mmu.edu.my
Stephen Tam: sctam@mmu.edu.my