Research Institutes, Centres and Units - Universiti Sains Malaysia

Research Institutes, Centres and Units
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) offers excellent opportunities for research, innovation
and education to both local and foreign undergraduates and post-graduates. The
University’s core competencies remain unchanged in its 40 years of establishment:
teaching, research and consultancies, which relate directly to the advancement of
human resource development and capacity building, knowledge and industrial
competitiveness.
USM, which was granted the APEX status in 2008 has now made it a priority to steer
its research capabilities towards reaching out and impacting the community. Research
at USM aims to touch base with the need of the poor and vulnerable. Above and
beyond that, the University wants to be at the forefront of providing local solutions
for global problems. At present, USM continues to address a wider range of problems
in order to benefit society at large, besides striving to exercise open mindedness in
its research work at the theoretical level.
The University has been actively developing broad-based research infrastructure
involving the acquisition of a wide range of equipment, laboratory facilities and library
holdings. It has also established new research institutes, centres and units, which are
mostly located at USM’s rapidly developing Science and Arts Innovation Space, or
better known as sains@usm. At the core of these research entities is one of academic
excellence and through these entities, research talent and expertise are mobilised
from different disciplines and segments of the University in line with its efforts in
promoting trans-disciplinary research.
Research at USM is managed by its Research Management and Creativity Office
(RCMO), in charge of overseeing matters pertaining to research information, grants,
university facilities, equipment and human resources. The office was set up to be the
bridge between USM researchers, grants financiers and the industry. There is also
an Innovation Office, tasked with bringing the products, innovations, services and
knowledge created by its researchers to the marketplace and end-users in an
efficient manner.
USM’s research strengths are split into four categories, namely in the fields
of Science, Medical Health, Engineering and Arts. The 25 Schools spread out on
three campuses each have its own niche area of research. Its research strengths