UTAR hosts Industry-Academia Collaboration Forum on ESG to foster sustainable business practices

The “UTAR Industry-Academia Collaboration Forum on ESG” was organised by the Office of International Affairs (OIA) on 6 June 2024 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. The forum’s goal was to help industries understand and tackle Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) challenges, as well as to discuss ESG strategy and management for businesses. Nearly 30 participants from UTAR and various external organisations attended the event.

The forum began with an opening speech by UTAR Vice President for Internationalisation and Academic Development Ir Prof Dr Goi Bok Min. In his remarks, Prof Goi emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts between academia and industry. He said, “Our initiatives include R&D and consultancy projects, human capital and talent development, and curriculum development. These collaborations have consistently produced innovative solutions and significant advancements. By combining academic expertise with industry experience, we can create value together and promote sustainable growth. Our consultancy projects and corporate training programmes are tailored to meet the specific needs of businesses, offering customised solutions and enhancing organisational capabilities. We believe close collaboration with industry partners allows us to address current challenges and anticipate future trends and opportunities.”

Prof Goi highlighting the significance of collaborative efforts between academia and industry

Following the opening speech, Assoc Prof Dr Lai Soon Onn, Director of OIA, shared the background of UTAR and its industrial collaborations. He emphasised UTAR’s commitment to fostering strong partnerships with the industry to drive innovation and sustainable development.

The forum featured a series of insightful presentations from esteemed speakers. Assoc Prof Ir Ts Dr Leong Kah Hon, Deputy Dean for Academic Development and Undergraduate Programmes at the Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT), delivered a talk titled “ESG principles and practices for corporate sustainability”. Dr Yong Mun Ching, a specialist from the Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM), presented on the “Urgency of incorporating social governance in business strategies”. Additionally, Assoc Prof Dr Abdullah Sallehhuddin bin Abdullah Salim, an academic from FAM, discussed “Data, human and corporate governance in the digital era”. These speakers shared their expertise on various aspects of ESG, offering valuable perspectives and strategies for integrating ESG principles into business practices.

The event concluded with a Q&A session, where participants had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topics with the speakers in greater detail.

Clockwise, from top left: Dr Lai, Dr Leong, Dr Yong and Dr Abdullah Sallehhuddin

Discussion in progress

Q & A sessions

UTAR staff with the participants