European Research Day

27 Aug 2019

Maithili VasudevanStrategic Manager, Newton-Ungku Omar Fund

British High Commission, Kuala Lumpur

The UK is a powerhouse in research and innovation, promoting excellence

in science, technology and innovation

In 2014, the UK represented just 0.9% of global population, 2.7% of R&D

expenditure, and 4.1 % of researchers, while accounting for 9.9% of

downloads, 10.7% of citations and 15.2% of the world’s most highly-cited

articles.

UK is home to four of the world’s top ten universities (Cambridge, Oxford,

UCL and Imperial).

The UK research base is well-rounded and demonstrates excellence in

diverse research fields, with activity (as indicated by article outputs) across

all major research fields. Its field-weighted citation impact is well above the

world average and it continues to rank first amongst comparator countries.

The UK is a key partner for global research collaboration and researcher

mobility with 5.3% of all publications resulting from international

collaborations.

The UK is rated one of the most innovative countries in the world – ranked

5th in the Global Innovation Index.

The Newton-Ungku Omar Fund is a science and innovation partnership

fund between UK and Malaysia

Newton Fund in Malaysia

• Established as part of the UK’s Official Development

Assistance (ODA) budget, through UK’s commitment to

spend 0.7% of Gross National Income on International

Development.

• MoU was signed in 2014 between both countries’

Government Science Advisors, with a UK Government

commitment of up to £35 mil until 2021 matched by

monetary and in-kind support from the Malaysian

government.

• Anchored on climate change and sustainability, NUOF

projects are designed and delivered in partnership by

Delivery Partners from UK and Malaysia.

The Newton Fund has 17 partner countries

worldwide, 5 of which are in SEA

The Newton Fund’s 5 Focus Areas

1 2 3 4 5

Health & Life

SciencesFuture Cities

Environmental

Resilience &

Energy Security

AgritechDigital Innovation

& Creativity

NUOF projects are designed and delivered by 19 Delivery Partners from

UK and Malaysia, with support from the in-country team

NUOF continues to deliver high-impact outcomes with a strong brand of

excellence in science, technology and innovation

Outcomes & Impact (2014-2018)

5Collaborations shortlisted for 2017

Newton Prize

140 Innovation projects funded

600 UK-MY researchers connected

55 Academic institutions linked

50 Industrial organisations involved

39 Contributions to publications

Media clippings of NUOF projects and initiatives

Open calls: Funding Opportunities

Newton-Ungku Omar Grand Challenge

UK-MY business partnerships are invited to apply for funding to develop

innovative solutions to urban challenges in the mobility and waste-to-wealth

sectors.

(Deadline: 16 October 2019)

Newton Fund Impact Scheme

Newton-Ungku Omar Fund alumni are invited to apply for funding to

further the impact of their previously-funded projects in the space of policy

influence, user engagement, and/or benefits to communities in need.

(Deadline: 13 September 2019)

Stay updated!

Email: Maithili.Vasudevan@fco.gov.uk

Website: www.newtonfund.ac.uk

Social media: @UkinMalaysia

UK as Global Leader in Science and Innovation

International collaboration to maintain the excellence of the UK’s research base

and in support of UK policy overseas

Maintaining UK science excellence and supporting innovation ensures the UK

as a partner of choice

Engage with the local science & innovation community to create strategic

relationships to harness the value of science & innovation discoveries and

investments overseas, leading to mutual UK and host-country benefits.

Poorani Krishnan | Science and Innovation (SIN) Officer| British High Commission | Kuala LumpurTel: +60 3 2170 2301 | Email: Poorani.Krishnan@fco.gov.uk

Programme Description Status Where to find out more?

Newton Fund

Builds research and innovation partnerships with 17 partner countries to support their economic development and social welfare, and to develop their research and innovation capacity for long-term sustainable growth. Total UK Government investment is £735 million*.

Open research calls being advertised

www.newtonfund.ac.uksea.newtonfund@fco.gov.uk

GCRF Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) is a £1.5 billion fund * to support cutting-edge research that addresses the challenges faced by developing countries.

www.rcuk.ac.uk/funding/gcrf

DFID UK AID

Department for International Development (DFID) has three strands of development research: 1) new technologies and products 2) evaluating development projects 3) collecting evidence to design policies and projects.

DFID Research

Chevening Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships offers future leaders, from all over the world, the opportunity to develop professionally and academically, network, experience UK culture, and build lasting positive relationships with the UK.

Some fellowships open

www.chevening.org

Ross Fund Aims to develop, test and deliver a range of new products to help combat the world’s most serious diseases in developing countries. Fund total - £1 billion*.

Ongoing as advertised

Ross Fund and Fleming Fund

Fleming Fund

Aims to tackle the growing problem of drug-resistant infections in developing countries.

Cross GovernmentProsperityFund

Aims to work predominantly in middle income countries to drive sustainable economic growth; thus reducing poverty and creating opportunities for business, including the UK. Fund total - £1.2billion*.

1- year projects complete, multi-year programmes in development

Cross Government Prosperity Fund

International Climate Fund

A UK Fund to help developing countries access support to tackle climate change and to move to sustainable economic growth through climate mitigation and adaptation. Fund total - £5.8 billion*.

Phase 1 complete, phase 2 in development

International Climate Fund

UK Funding & Fellowships: Science, Technology & Innovation

UK expert visit for engagement

activities e.g. workshops,

seminars

Bilateral meetings to

establish R&D partnership

Policy and Framework

development, Malaysia’s

participation in global

partnerships

UK delegation visit to MYS centers of

excellence and research

institutions

Examples of Engagement Programmes

People, Plastics and our Planet: Venturing for Solutions

16th – 20th December 2019- Kuala Lumpur

OBJECTIVES1. Identified UK experts to support capacity building for Malaysia’s early

career researchers and budding innovators in terms of effective proposal/idea development and entrepreneurial skills to tackle plastic challenge.

2. Establish platform for researchers and innovators to learn the intensity of global and regional plastics waste issues as well as mitigation efforts implemented locally and internationally.

3. Enable researchers and innovators to connect and identify opportunities to establish innovation partnership in a multi-disciplinary and circular economy approach to address existing challenges in eliminating single use plastics and plastic waste management.

4. Introduction to UK’s Marine Plastic Research and innovation framework and identify Malaysia’s potential and opportunity for participation.

CIRCULAR SOLUTION

FOR PLASTICS

CHALLENGE

Biologist /Chemist

Product and Packaging Designers

Engineers

Tech developers

Behavioral Scientist / Social

Entrepreneur

Economists

Communication experts

PARTICIPANTS – Multi-disciplinary angle

Workshop to have right pool of various experts – contribute to ideas that are being presented

People, Plastics and our Planet-

Malaysia

Participants

Primary workshop content

Multi disciplinary talent and

expertise gathered to develop and test ideas around solving

Plastics challenges

Participants trained to define a business model that is suitable to

take their idea forward –supported by expert mentors.

-business venture- social venture,

- impact project -new collaboration.

Knowledge session1. Plastics or Planet ;

Commitment or Convenience Forum ( 4 perspectives)

2. Circular Economy for Sustainable Use and

Management of Plastics

3. Marine Plastic Research and Innovation Framework & WRAP

Innovation Challenge

1. MESTECC

2. Industries

Malaysia Plastics Innovation challenge Suggestion : Industries / Government expectations : All ideas are need to be addressed in multiple angle/ Not just based on 1 single expertise

5Rs → Refuse, Reduction, Reuse, Recycle and Recovery

1. New model awareness campaign

2. Economic tools – what and where and how to apply

3. Technology assisted plastics segregation and recycling techniques - with refrence to current challenges in recycling

4. Infrastructure changes ( Housing and building) to promote better management of Plastic waste)

5. High efficiency biodegradable plastics

6. Increase the content of recyclable materials in products

7. Replacement of natural products for food packaging material

8. Replacements for cotton bud

9. Identify current packaging in Market – suggest a product and recommend sustainable marketing and packaging solution – Industries to challenge

TIME ACTIVITY

2.00 pm –

3.00 pm

Registration and Tea

3.00 pm –

3.15 pm

Welcome address by Dean, School of Science and Technology

Sunway University

3.15 pm –

3.30 pmUK – International Research and Innovation Strategy : A

review

Nicola Willey

Regional Director SEA Science and Innovation

3.30 pm –

4.15pm

Glimpse into UK’s AI Research and Innovation: Scope and

opportunities for international collaboration

Professor Dame Wendy Hall

Regius Professor of Computer Science, Pro Vice-Chancellor

(International Engagement),

Executive Director of the Web Science Institute at the

University of Southampton.

4.15 pm –

5.30 pm

Presentations from Malaysian researchers/academicians from 4

universities/ R&D centres- (15 minutes each)

Steering towards a Digital World: Research and Innovation in AI

Session details: 11

September 2019

(Thursday) 3.00 PM –

6.30 PM

Venue: Sunway

University, Bandar

Sunway

Target audience: researchers and

academics from Malaysian Higher

Learning Institutions and research

institutions, postgraduate students

and early career researchers,

relevant government and private

and research organization within

the AI sector.

To register : https://forms.gle/HLqLSnYtDSinSbjp6