The “Entrepreneur” initiative within the university’s RDIC+E ecosystem framework was emphasised by the Honourable Minister of Higher Education in the 2025 Address, with the aspiration that it becomes a new benchmark for research success through the management of research and innovation in every public university (UA). UMT began to place a more aggressive focus on the production of innovative products with high entrepreneurial value by strengthening collaborative synergy with industry partners.

UMT continued to mark proud achievements when it received research grants amounting to RM2,859,067 (12 projects) under the Industry Matching Grant Programme (iMAP). For Phase 1, UMT successfully secured grants totalling RM1,709,006 for 7 projects. For Phase 2, it initially secured RM910,061 for 4 projects, and then RM240,200.00 for 1 more project..

The awarding of these grants further strengthens UMT’s role as a leader in research related to marine resources and tropical aquaculture. The grants serve as proof of the government’s confidence in UMT’s researchers, who actively develop research based on industry needs and support the national food security agenda.

The awarding of the iMAP research grants is very significant in strengthening UMT’s role as a leading institution in marine and aquaculture research. It is also in line with UMT’s recognition as a Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICOE) in aquaculture, which serves as a pillar in advancing the national food security agenda. Through strategic collaboration with industry, these research outputs will be translated into new technologies that can be directly applied by local aquaculture farmers and operators, thereby increasing the yield and quality of the country’s seafood production sustainably.