By: Professor Dato Dr Ahmad Ibrahim
Malaysia invests billions into research and development (R&D), fuelled by the noble ambition of becoming a high-income economy. The tangible returns on this massive national investment remain frustratingly elusive. The gleaming laboratories and dedicated researchers produce a torrent of academic papers, but where are the groundbreaking products, the globally competitive startups, the solutions to pressing national challenges? The diagnosis, while uncomfortable, is increasingly clear: our R&D ecosystem, particularly within our universities, is ensnared in a publication-centric culture that stifles true innovation and commercialisation. This must change, urgently.
The problem isn’t the pursuit of knowledge itself. Rigorous research and peer-reviewed publication are vital pillars of the scientific process. They validate findings, build upon existing knowledge, and establish credibility. But publication is a milestone, not the destination. In Malaysia’s current system, however, publication has tragically become the destination. For academics, especially in universities, the relentless pressure to “publish or perish” dominates career progression. Promotions and grants are overwhelmingly tied to the number of papers published in high-impact journals, and the citations they garner. The system incentivizes research designed primarily to impress academic peers, often delving into niche theoretical areas or incremental advances perfectly tailored for journal acceptance, rather than tackling problems with real-world market potential or societal impact.
Research stops at the journal article. The crucial, messy, and resource-intensive journey from a proven concept to a viable prototype, then to a manufacturable product, and finally to a successful market entry – the infamous “valley of death” – is rarely traversed. The skills and incentives for this translation are simply not embedded in the current culture. Significant public funds are spent generating knowledge that, while academically respectable, gathers dust on virtual shelves instead of driving economic activity, creating jobs, or solving local problems like sustainable agriculture, healthcare access, or efficient manufacturing. Talented researchers, frustrated by the lack of pathways seek opportunities abroad where innovation ecosystems are more mature. Malaysia loses the potential economic dynamism they could spark.
Countries elsewhere are actively fostering innovation-driven R&D. They are turning research into patents, startups, and high-value industries. Our publication treadmill, while boosting certain academic rankings, does little to enhance our economic competitiveness on the world stage. Our global innovation index ranking remains stubbornly below our aspirations, reflecting this disconnect. Malaysia needs a fundamental cultural reset. We must move from measuring success by the volume of publications to measuring it by the value created. Innovation – the successful implementation of new ideas that create economic or social benefit – must become the undisputed endgame. Publication remains an important part of this process, documenting and validating knowledge, but it cannot be the purpose.
University promotion and tenure committees, research grant agencies, and performance assessments must drastically recalibrate their metrics. Patents filed and granted, prototypes developed, licenses negotiated, startups spun out, industry partnerships secured, and tangible societal impact should carry equal or greater weight than journal publications. The Malaysian Research Assessment Instrument (MyRA) needs to evolve further in this direction. Universities and public research institutes (PRIs) need structures and mandates that actively foster deep, long-term partnerships with industry from the outset. Co-creation of research agendas, industry placements for researchers, joint labs, and simplified IP frameworks are essential. Research should be framed by real-world problems posed by businesses, not just academic curiosity.
Cultivating innovation requires more than technical skill. Training programs in entrepreneurship, intellectual property management, market analysis, and venture finance need to be integrated into researcher development. Universities should establish robust technology transfer offices (TTOs) with real expertise and resources to guide researchers through commercialisation. Government funding must specifically target the perilous gap between lab proof-of-concept and market readiness. Dedicated grants for prototyping, pilot testing, regulatory support, and early-stage venture capital are crucial to de-risk the commercialisation journey. Agencies like MRANTI and Cradle play vital roles here but need amplified resources and focus. Highlight and reward researchers who successfully translate knowledge into products, services, or impactful solutions. Make their stories as celebrated within academia as the stories of those publishing in ‘Nature’ or ‘Science’.
Continuing down the publication-centric path is a road to diminishing returns. Malaysia’s aspirations for economic transformation, technological sovereignty, and solving complex national challenges hinge on our ability to innovate. The billions invested in R&D are not an academic exercise; they are the seeds of our future prosperity. We must cultivate an R&D culture where innovation isn’t an afterthought, but the very root and purpose of our scientific endeavours. Only then will we reap the rich harvest that our investment deserves, turning knowledge not just into citations, but into jobs, growth, and a better future for all Malaysians. The clock is ticking. Let’s get our R&D culture right, finally.
The author is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an Adjunct Professor at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya.