UTM Champions Real-world Research Impact At AHIBS-ACT 2025 Conference

KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 (Bernama) -- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) remains committed to driving innovation through research that delivers real-world impact, said deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International), Prof. Technologist Dr Intan Zaurah Mat Darus.

She said that the university continues to pursue global excellence by promoting transdisciplinary research and strengthening international collaborations through the Azman Hashim International Business School (AHIBS) and the AHIBS-ACT 2025 Conference.

“This conference goes far beyond academic discourse. It is about action, connection and purpose. It is about weaving together diverse strands of thought, practice and community to create a lasting impact.

“AHIBS-ACT has grown into a meaningful platform where boundaries between theory and practice are blurred, and real solutions emerge.

“You are not only leading by example within UTM but also setting a standard for business schools across the region,” she said in her welcoming remarks at the conference, officiated by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.

Also present were World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur group managing director Datuk Sri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim, and AHIBS-ACT 2025 conference chair Associate Prof Dr Haliyana Khalid.

Held from July 15 to 16 under the theme “Weaving Horizons for Sustainable Impact,” the conference brought together policymakers, academics, industry leaders, NGOs and representatives from marginalised communities across ASEAN and beyond.

It featured transdisciplinary research with real-world applications, along with community-led initiatives by AHIBS and UTM, reflecting academia’s role in advancing inclusive and sustainable development.

Aligned with UTM’s ASCEND2030 roadmap, the event also reaffirmed AHIBS’s commitment to empowering marginalised communities through long-term, meaningful engagement.

The conference opened with the National Forum on Digital Health Leadership, featuring Ministry of Health Chief Secretary Datuk Seri Suriani Ahmad, which explored Malaysia’s digital health strategy and the need for a people-centric, future-ready healthcare system.

In his keynote address, Shamsul Azri highlighted AHIBS’s role in bridging research and real-world challenges, contributing to a Malaysia that is both competitive and compassionate.

“I must take this moment to recognise AHIBS, not only for its excellence in internationalisation, but also for its unwavering dedication to communities often left at the margins. 

“This balance reflects wisdom. It reveals an understanding that true progress is not achieved by racing ahead, but by lifting others as we move forward,” he said.

Shamsul Azri also expressed his appreciation to all those who contributed to the success of the conference.

“You have done more than bring an idea to life. You have created a space for purpose to take root, and a sustainable impact begins to grow. May this conference light the way forward, not only in ideas, but in intention. Not only in words, but in work that endures,” he said.

-- BERNAMA