PENANG remains committed to strengthening collaboration between the government, industry and educational institutions as part of its efforts to develop a future-ready workforce capable of meeting the demands of emerging technologies.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state has been actively fostering stronger cooperation in integrated circuit (IC) design and artificial intelligence (AI) through initiatives such as the Penang Silicon Design @5km+ (PSD@5KM+).
“At the same time, the Penang GenAI Initiative 2.0 aims to develop 500 Generative AI talents by 2026, helping to prepare our workforce for the next generation of technologies.
“These efforts are not simply about creating jobs. They are about building capabilities that will sustain Penang’s competitiveness for years to come,” he said during the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between INV New Material Technology (M) Sdn Bhd and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) at Penang Technology Park@Bertam in Kepala Batas today.
Also present were INV New Material Technology technical director Wang Xi, USM deputy vice-chancellor Prof Dr Azlan Amran and InvestPenang head of talent programmes Hawani Adnan.
Commenting on the renewed MoU, Chow said he was encouraged that the partnership places a strong emphasis on both talent development and research collaboration.
“While this is a renewal of an existing partnership, it represents something much bigger. It reflects how Penang must continue preparing for the future economy.
“The hiring of USM graduates by INV, combined with opportunities for joint research and the sharing of technical expertise, creates a stronger connection between education and industry.
“It allows students to gain greater exposure to real-world industrial needs while helping companies access a pipeline of skilled talent,” he said.
Chow added that meaningful partnerships between universities and industry players are essential in ensuring that graduates are equipped with relevant skills and knowledge, while businesses remain competitive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Meanwhile, Dr Azlan expressed hope that the collaboration would continue to grow and expand into more research areas in the future.
“We look forward to undertaking more joint research projects moving forward. USM has strong expertise through its School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, as well as the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Chemical Sciences and many other disciplines.
“We welcome all forms of collaboration in research and innovation. USM is always open to discussions and partnerships that can strengthen industry-academia engagement and create mutual benefits,” he said.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi