Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) proudly announces its official induction as a new member of the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP), marking another significant milestone in the university’s continued commitment to sustainable ocean governance and the nation’s Blue Economy empowerment.

GOAP is a multi-stakeholder international initiative that supports countries in developing and implementing ocean accounting systems as a foundation for policy-making, marine ecosystem protection, and the sustainable use of ocean resources.

UMT’s membership in this prestigious global network reflects Malaysia’s growing prominence in international ocean governance, as well as UMT’s readiness to contribute both scientifically and strategically to global marine sustainability efforts.

UMT’s involvement in GOAP is facilitated through the UMT Blue Economy Advancement Centre (UMT BEACON), a dynamic platform that spearheads interdisciplinary research, drives innovation, and strengthens collaboration among various stakeholders to realise the nation’s Blue Economy aspirations.

BEACON contributes through practical initiative implementations, such as the ocean data system development, marine ecosystem valuation, and blue financing mechanism support—all in line with BEACON’s vision to enhance industry growth, strengthen governance, and empower communities for sustainable ocean resource management.

Following its membership, UMT, through BEACON, successfully organised the first national-level workshop on ocean accounting in collaboration with GOAP, held on 28 and 29 April. Themed “Empowering Blue Economy Governance through Ocean Accounts in Malaysia,” the event brought together a diverse range of participants from federal and state government agencies, academic institutions, and research centres. This shows the leading marine-focused higher education institution from the East Coast is committed to developing governance based on science and solid data.

This strategic membership also strengthens Malaysia’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), while supporting the implementation of the Malaysia Blue Economy Blueprint, which emphasises environmental sustainability, ocean health, and inclusive green economic growth.

UMT Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr Mohd Zamri Ibrahim, officially confirmed the university’s membership in GOAP on 16 April.

“Universiti Malaysia Terengganu is honoured to join the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership, a vital global initiative that aligns with our mission to lead sustainable ocean governance. This membership strengthens UMT’s role in advancing ocean science and marine policy, and in implementing blue economy-related activities,” he stated.

He added that, through this membership, UMT embraces the meaningful opportunity to contribute to regional and international efforts to preserve marine ecosystems and ensure the long-term resilience of ocean resources.

UMT is now poised to expand collaboration with other GOAP members to develop robust ocean accounting systems, support regional capacity-building, particularly among ASEAN countries, and foster inclusive knowledge exchange across science, policy, and society. This aligns with Malaysia’s aspirations under its ASEAN Chairmanship, which are to strengthen sustainable development, regional integration, and leadership in ocean governance.