Smart Partnership Initiative
- This initiative was introduced by YPASM in collaboration with local universities to sustain Malaysia’s involvement in Polar research. The participating universities are recognized as strategic associates of YPASM.
- Through this Smart Partnership Initiative, it grants the participating universities an exclusive right to bid for research grants and other supports provided by YPASM yearly.
- The first cycle of this initiative (2016-2020) was participated by seven (7) local universities namely Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), IMU University (IMU) before Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) joined in 2019.
- Due to the success of the first cycle, YPASM and the eight (8) universities have agreed to continue the initiative for another five years from 2021-2025, while two (2) new universities namely Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) participated in 2023. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Tenaga Malaysia (UNITEN) participated in 2024.
- A total of 56 research grants, 14 fellowship schemes, and 14 Antarctic Berth Supports amounting to RM9,746,780 have been awarded by YPASM to date.