Lyna Mohamad
The Crown Prince Creative, Innovative Product and Technological Advancement (CIPTA) Award 2023’s theme, ‘Innovations for Sustainable Development Goals’, encompasses the national and global needs to address the global challenges that development must balance between social, economic and environmental sustainability, said Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman during his remarks during the launch of the Crown Prince CIPTA Award 2023 yesterday, adding that the competition can be an important part of this innovation ecosystem.
“This is especially true in the nation’s response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, where science, technology and innovations are more indispensable than before. It strengthens the IT infrastructure of the education sector in the country and provides alternative modes of learning to students by implementing digitalisation across the curricula.”
Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah added, “Education is relevant in SDG4 and SDG9, where SDG4 ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all, while SDG9 builds resilient infrastructure, promotes inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and fosters innovation. CIPTA is under SDG9 as it inculcates innovation mindsets in the country and the region.”
The 2030 Agenda of the SDGs, as adopted by the United Nations (UN) member states in September 2015, sets the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The Sultanate’s SDGs journey is guided by Brunei Vision 2035 and its achievement of the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs, the minister said.
“There are 17 SDGs in total where innovation can play a vital part. I believe the theme of CIPTA Award 2023 is appropriate and timely to promote new ideas with fresh energy in our efforts to support SDGs and the recovery from COVID-19 through science, technology and innovation.
“One successful and feasible way to make SDGs accessible is through the CIPTA Award 2023 platform where it plays a vital role as catalysts for action. To achieve this, it is crucial that academic institutions such as UTB to increase support for academic research guided by the 2030 Agenda. Current research and technological priorities will also need to be aligned to support innovative approaches in sustainability science, specifically ones that emphasise cross-disciplinary collaborations. Academic institutions especially in higher education should lead by example and continue inspiring students to engage in issues of sustainability,” Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah said.
The minister also highlighted His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah during the 9th UTB Convocation Ceremony, where the monarch emphasised on the need to improve research in key areas which could contribute to increased number of patents and commercialisation.
“UTB and CIPTA Award 2023 can provide such avenue for market creation and commercialisation.
“UTB is an enterprise that can build an ecosystem around research-based products to gain competitive advantages and establish partnerships with other stakeholders for value co-creation and co-innovation.”
The minister added, “I firmly believe that innovation ecosystem is a promising mode to improve product innovation and address cross-organisational collaboration issues in co-innovation, as it promotes the flow, integration and allocation of innovative resources and knowledge within the ecosystem. CIPTA will be within the innovation ecosystem and UTB is the main anchor for linkages with industries and venture capitalists.”
