24 May 2025 | Virtual Event (Zoom)

The Emerging Pollutants Network (EPN–ASTF) hosted an international capacity-building webinar on Saturday, 24 May 2025, titled “Horizons of International and Industrial Research Funding and Academic Attachment Pathways (Innovate, Collaborate, Globalize)”. The event brought together academics, researchers, and research administrators from across the Arab region and Southeast Asia, focusing on strategies to expand global research collaboration and funding success.

The webinar addressed a growing demand among universities and research institutions for practical guidance on securing international and industrial research grants, as well as navigating academic attachment and visiting fellowship opportunities in leading global institutions.

Distinguished keynote speakers

The session featured two internationally recognized keynote speakers from Malaysia:

• Norli Ismail, Professor and Head of the Research Acculturation Centre (RAC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), who shared institutional strategies for building competitive research proposals, strengthening industry partnerships, and aligning academic research with industrial needs.
• Radin Maya Saphira, Professor and Head of the Micropollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), who presented insights into international research grants, global collaboration mechanisms, and pathways for academic attachments and visiting fellowships.

Both speakers drew on extensive experience in managing large research portfolios and international collaborations, offering participants real-world examples of successful funding applications and cross-border research partnerships.

Key themes and discussions

The webinar covered several core areas critical to academic career development and institutional growth, including:

• Industrial research grants, with a focus on funding acquisition strategies, proposal positioning, and long-term industry collaboration
• International research funding opportunities, including navigating application processes and understanding global funding landscapes
• Academic attachments and visiting fellowships, highlighting pathways for short- and long-term academic mobility and collaboration
• Building sustainable international research networks to enhance research impact and visibility

Speakers emphasized the importance of aligning research priorities with national and global agendas, developing strong institutional support systems, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Expected outcomes and regional relevance

Participants were provided with practical tools and strategic insights to:

• Improve success rates in industrial and international grant applications
• Learn from real-world funding and academic attachment experiences
• Identify opportunities for global academic mobility and collaboration
• Expand professional research networks beyond national boundaries

Discussions highlighted how such approaches are particularly relevant for researchers in developing and emerging research systems seeking to globalize their research activities and increase international competitiveness.

Supporting research excellence and collaboration

Held virtually at 4:00 PM Makkah Time (9:00 PM Kuala Lumpur Time), the webinar formed part of EPN’s broader mission to support research excellence, internationalization, and professional development across the Arab region. Participants received certificates and accredited training hours within EPN’s professional membership program.

Organizers noted that the event represents a strategic contribution to empowering researchers and academic leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to innovate, collaborate, and globalize their research efforts in an increasingly competitive international research landscape.