Malaysia–South Africa Technical Visit: Advancing Regional STI Engagement
From July 14th to 23th, The International Science, Technology and Innovation Center under the auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC) coordinated the South African delegation regional mission across Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Malang engaging with leading institutions and experts to strengthen South-South cooperation and foster meaningful partnerships in Science, Technology & Innovation (STI).
This event was organized in collaboration with the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, the Future Earth Africa Hub, and its Leadership Centre (FEAHLC) as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation through the development of bilateral frameworks, joint research initiatives, and institutional partnerships.
The first part of the visit took place in Malaysia, from July 14th to 18th. During this week, the South African delegation had the opportunity to engage with four national institutions in Malaysia, in preparation for an upcoming technical workshop. They visited the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology & Innovation (MRANTI), the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), the National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM), and the National Institute of Health (NIH).
Following these visits, a two-day Malaysia–South Africa Consultative Workshop on Enhancing South–South Cooperation in STI for Sustainable Development was held at the Pullman Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The event brought together 45 participants and 11 speakers including researchers, academics, and policy makers who took part in panel discussions and roundtables focused on key challenges in the health, energy, and water sectors across countries of the Global South.
This workshop was a significant milestone, marking the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NRF and ISTIC, the outcome of two years of dialogue on strengthening STI collaboration between Malaysia and South Africa. The MoU was signed by Dr Nare Prudence Makhura, Executive Director: International Grants and Partnerships at NRF, on behalf of Dr Gugu Moche, the organisation’s Group Executive: Digital Transformation and Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and Professor Dr Mohd Basyaruddin Abd Rahman, Chair of ISTIC Governing Board.
The week ended by the organization of the 3rd South Africa-Malaysia Joint Committee Meeting held by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).
From July 19th to 22nd, the delegation continued its mission in Indonesia, visiting the cities of Malang and Jakarta. During this segment of the visit, three institutional meetings were held with Universitas Negeri Malang, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MOHEST) of Indonesia.
This mission strengthened both bilateral and multilateral relationships and demonstrated the growing importance of South–South cooperation in advancing shared goals in science, innovation, and policy. Notably, the two-week programme laid the groundwork for a new Asia–Africa regional collaboration project in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), set to be launched later in 2025.
Sincere appreciation is extended to all partner institutions and stakeholders for their collaboration, insights, and warm hospitality throughout the visit !
