Several researchers from UTAR were named as Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI through the Joint Research Scheme, organised by the Presidents’ Forum of Southeast and South Asia and Taiwan Universities (SATU Presidents’ Forum) to provide a collaborative platform that facilitates academic research collaboration among SATU member universities.

Among the researcher who were named PI and Co-PI were Dr Pang Yean Ling, Ts Dr Lee Poh Foong, Dr Lee Foo Wei, Dr Steven Lim, Assoc Prof Ts Dr Jun Hieng Kiat, Dr Anto Cordelia Tanislaus Antony Dhanapal, Assoc Prof Ts Dr Humaira Nisar, Prof Dr Sumathi Sethupathi, Dr Gengeswari Krishnapillai, Dr Chua Kein Huat, Prof Dr Chong Kok Keong, Assoc Prof Dr Chee Pei Song, Dr Poon Hiew Mun, Dr Rubina Bahar, Dr Ong Ying Hui, Ir Dr Chong Woon Chan, Assoc Prof Ir Dr Bee Soo Tueen.

Through the projects that are successfully matched through the SATU JRS platform, the researchers believed that academic and research collaboration can be strengthened by establishing the sharing /exchange of ideas, promoting the quality of research and fostering internationalisation through any research activities. For instance, outcomes from research collaborations related to the environment would facilitate sustainability in economics, society and the environment itself.

JRS is a networking platform to connect scholars with similar research interests, integrate resources to increase the quality, quantity, and global research scope conducted among SATU member universities. This year, the SATU JRS matching results saw a remarkable increase in participation among member universities from nine countries. It was recorded that the 504 submitted projects from 326 principal investigator (PI) applicants and 1,774 applications from 523 Co-PI applicants this year are the highest since the JRS was launched in 2012. Among all, 392 projects were successfully matched, representing a 124% increase compared to last year’s 174 matched projects. Engineering is still the most popular research collaboration field.

The "Presidents' Forum of Southeast Asia and Taiwan Universities" (SATU Presidents' Forum) was initiated in 2003 by President Chiang Kao of the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan, together with the Presidents of prestigious universities of Southeast Asian countries. The biennial forum provides a venue for academics to share their valuable experiences to improve higher education and international cooperation in the region.