Meeting the Challenges Ahead in 2016

By : Professor Datuk Dr. A Rahman A Jamal

This year is predicted to be a tough one for many institutions especially with the budget cut. On top of that each institution has been asked to raise 25% of the budget for its operational expenses. With the usual key performance indicators like the number of publications and the number of students graduating on time being audited every year, this added responsibility of generating income is a serious matter indeed. We at UMBI have started planning and discussing the strategies for 2016. I list here the top 5 things we should do this year.

  1. Produce 30 indexed publications. With a current FTE of 7.5 that will make our average output of 4 publications per researcher which is above the target for MyRA2. We did well in 2015, with an average of 3.12 publications per researcher and with 40% of our publications in Q1 or Q2. We need to mobilise all our resources including our research fellows, students and support staff to achieve this target.
  2. Generate at least RM200,000. This year UMBI will ‘commercialise’ the molecular diagnostic tests which it has been offering for free all this while. UMBI has formed a partnership with Codon Genomics and will soon launch the BRCA gene testing and the Lynch Syndrome panel test.
  3. Our students must graduate on time. This is not easy as research has its own known and unknown risks. At the same time it is possible and some of our students have shown that this can be done. To the students, my advice is to remember that research is not a 5-day-a-week job.
  4. Bring in 10 more top research fellows. UMBI needs the critical mass to continue soar upwards. We have 5 young research fellows doing their PhD overseas now but we certainly need 10 bright young fellows (post-PhD) to come and join us. If you are game for it and research is your passion, contact us and come for a chat.
  5. Consolidate research collaboration with the best. We have to increase the number and type of activities with our research partners both locally and internationally.

There are other strategies which I have not mentioned here but these 5 will sufficient to list here. We need to execute these strategies well and to do this we need everyone in UMBI to be in sync and aligned to the mission ahead of us. I believe we can do it especially with the resources, the research grants and the human resource available in UMBI now. Let’s go for it!