1. Research & Innovation and Sustainability
Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah
Universiti Sains Malaysia

2. PRESENTATION FLOW Research and Innovation - definitions
Sustainability - definitions
Ensuring research leads to innovation
Ensuring R&I helps sustainability
Some issues for thoughts

3. Research and Innovation - definitions

4. INNOVATION BY DEFINITION
Edward D. Roberts:
“Innovation = invention + exploitation”
Invention process covers all efforts aimed at creating new ideas and getting them to work.
The exploitation process includes all stages of commercial development, application, and transfer, including the focusing of ideas or inventions towards specific objectives, evaluating those objectives, downstream transfer of research and/or development results, and eventual broad based utilization, dissemination, and diffusion of the technology-based outcomes”

5. SO WHY DO WE NEED TO INNOVATE?
Ensuring that as many of our research work has impact, i.e., being used by the society. When a product from research is commercialised, it is being recognised and is being used. It therefore provides the best return of investment (ROI)
Innovation when successful will also have socio-economic benefits
drives the knowledge economy
contributes to the nation’s and world’s economy
create job opportunities
other socio-economic benefits (health, environment, wealth and general well being)

6. ENTITIES OF INNOVATION
Research
Development
Commercialisation
lecturers/
researchers
IP rights
(ownership +
inventors) +
rewards
inventor
postgrads
Partner/ IP
Assignee
Business
plan
Research
funds and
activities
Technology
transfer
office
Industry
laboratories
&
Equipment
Funding
Business
model
Quality research results
Research
Management
Appreciated prototypes
Bridging
fund
IPr issues
Management
team
Market
Research
support
Clear
mechanisms
Luck

7. From research to innovation
Nature of research
Fundamental
Applied
Product – based
Challenge
Maximising the number of research work done that leads to invention and finally becomes candidate for innovation

8. DIFFERENT RESEARCH APPROACHES
Build up on someone else’s fundamental work
The most common way
You will have competitors
The Fundamental to product research
Cluster-based approach
Collaborative
You have more control
Z to A research approach as opposed to A to Z approach

9. APPROACH TO RESEARCH A to Z approach Z to A approach
Start with objective statements
Deliverables that met the objectives
Need to find the applicability and suitability of the product
Finding place in the market for the product
Jigsaw puzzle approach
Z to A approach
Start with problems statements
Problem statements arising from market studies and technology fore-sighting
Objectives statements defined according to problem statements
Time line is according to window of opportunity
Resulting products are readier to enter the market

10. LOOKING @ R&I AS A PROCESS

11. Sustainability - definitions
Context of sustainable development
A widely-used and accepted international definition of sustainable development is: 'development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs' –
Globally we are not even meeting the needs of the present let alone considering the needs of future generations.
Challenge

12. Scope of Sustainable Development
Environment
Social
Economic

13. QUESTION How Research and Innovation should address sustainability?
Problem statement must be correct
The Z to A approach
Clear goals in mind
Environmental gains
Economic benefits
Social impact
Clear action plan to ensure the research and innovation journey leads to the intended recipient

14. TYPICAL RESEARCH DOMAIN
Products, processes, technologies and findings related to:
Research “From waste to wealth”
Improvement in productivity (eg. increase in yield per unit of input)
Improvement in processes (eg. savings in energy, waste etc)
Producing enablers, new technology, new policies etc
Reduction in detrimental effects to environment, society and the economy
Healthy lifestyle, environment etc
And many others

15. The Bigger picture
Research and innovation must address issues of sustainability
The driving force behind the problem statements of researches must ultimately address sustainability issues
The challenges of innovation must be overcomed
Only will research and innovation be supporting sustainability

16. SOME ISSUES FOR THOUGHTS
Research results must have an impact
Impact to whom?
Publication in journals
Publications alone
Citations
Conference deliberations
Adoption for technologies
Adoption for products
Adoption for policies
Adoption by industry
Adoption by government/authorities

17. Experience @ Universiti Sains Malaysia
DRIVING INNOVATION
Universiti Sains Malaysia

18. SETTING THE GOALS Mission statement Vision statement Renewed vision
USM’s mission statement
Vision statement
Renewed vision
R&D vision/Innovation vision

19. SETTING THE GOALS: USM ASPIRATIONS
Continue to serve its mission
To achieve global acceptance and recognition, while continue being a local focal point (GLOCAL)
To be recognised as a research university
Ultimately, to be known globally as an excellent research university

20. SETTING THE GOALS: USM’s MISSION
To lead and innovate towards international excellence through:
the creation and dissemination of knowledge and truth
quality pursuits towards academic and professional excellence
comprehensive individual development, and
with full commitment towards the fulfilment of the societal, national and universal aspirations

21. INOVATION AGENDA

22. THINKING OUT OF THE BOX – Drive towards Innovation
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
“If USM is serious about its global endeavours, it needs to exploit its innovation to gain competitive advantage. The factors and suitable types of innovation must be intelligently selected, properly nurtured and effectively managed” – VC USM, 2003

23. THE USM WAY History USM had a strong history in research
USM had individuals who knew the value of IP and the benefit of commercialisation
USM knew the importance of institutional backing for technology transfer effort, and set up the Innovation and Consultancy Centre (PIP)
USM then innovated through setting up a holding company which it fully owns, USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd to be the marketing arm of USM
Throughout this history, USM accumulated experience on the business of technology transfer

24. THE TURNING POINT What was What were needed
Organisational setup (PIP and USAINS)
IP guideline
Some little experience
What were needed
culture of innovation
enablers for innovation

25. TOWARS AN INNOVATION SYSTEM
Coming up with a framework for R-D-C-E-P
Getting support
Looking at ways to operationalize this framework
processes and enablers
organisational setup – the setting up of the Innovation Office and restructuring of Research and Innovation Division
human capacity and capability – planning and training issues
Innovation flow
Intellectual Property policy - introduce
mechanism and guidelines – establish and practice

26. UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA
Basic
Applied
Publications
Patents/IP
Products
Increasing industry input
© USM 2003

27. R&I @ USM USAINS Schools & Centres Institutes Services Supporting
RESEARCH
AND
INNOVATION
USAINS
Schools & Centres
Institutes
Supporting
Services

28. MODELS OF COMMERCIALISATION
Licensing
Joint Venture + Start up companies
EQ USAINS

29. USM’s COMMERCIALISATION FLAGSHIPS
Diagnostic kits
First IPO success – Mlabs
Direct licensing ventures
Direct marketing by USAINS – EQUSAINS programme

30. CONCLUSIONS
Research and innovation will have more meaning if it helps to address the issues of sustainability
The challenges of research and innovation must be addressed
Research results and innovation successes must be in ultimately helping the sustainability issues
Question on the ultimate impact of research and innovation must be answered

31. Innovating towards sustainability
VISIT PECIPTA 2007