ESTCON 2026 Strengthens Role As Platform For Academia, Industry, Government Collaboration

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- The World Engineering, Science and Technology Congress 2026 (ESTCON 2026) has strengthened its role as a platform connecting academia, industry and government in addressing complex global challenges through multidisciplinary collaboration and innovation.

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) president Mohamed Firouz Asnan said the growing participation of non-academic sectors in the congress reflected the increasing importance of collaboration in translating knowledge and technology into solutions that could benefit society.

He said ESTCON 2026, held at the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC) here, attracted 1,014 delegates, including 146 international participants from 25 countries, with industry and government representatives accounting for about 40 per cent of participants, while academia made up the remaining 60 per cent.

“Universities, industries and governments cannot work in isolation as the development and deployment of technology require knowledge, investment, policy support and public trust," he said in his closing speech at ESTCON 2026, here today.

Themed “Engineering Pathways to a Better Future”, the congress featured discussions centred on three broad areas, namely Energy Security, Sustainable Living and Regenerative Futures, reflecting the interconnected nature of issues such as energy transition, climate change, smart cities and environmental sustainability.

ESTCON 2026 also saw the signing of seven memoranda of understanding (MoUs), while more than 20 exhibitors showcased their technologies and innovations.

Brazil recorded the highest number of international delegates with 18 participants, followed by India and the Philippines with 16 each, and China and Indonesia with 12 each.

Mohamed Firouz pointed out that businesses needed universities as a source of knowledge and technology, while universities also required industry support through initiatives such as internships, job placements and scholarships to develop future talent.

He said this was particularly important for emerging technologies such as nuclear energy, where public confidence and understanding would determine whether potentially beneficial technologies could be successfully deployed.

“Collaboration needs to be realised at a much deeper level, not just between universities, not just between universities and industry, but everybody,” he said, referring to the need to move from the traditional triple-helix model involving academia, industry and government towards a quadruple-helix approach that also includes society.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Firouz urged the academic community to push the boundaries of knowledge, particularly at the intersection of different disciplines, as many future innovations would emerge from such intersections.

To industry partners, he urged businesses to be bold in innovation while focusing on creating long-term value and developing trusted solutions that could gain public acceptance.

He also called on policymakers to create a conducive environment for industry to flourish and academic freedom to thrive, while ensuring technological progress remained inclusive, ethical, secure and beneficial to society.

He said the ultimate measure of ESTCON 2026 would be whether the ideas, partnerships and innovations generated could contribute towards leaving a better world for the next generation.

The two-day congress was officiated by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Chang Lih Kang yesterday.

-- BERNAMA