Open for Business
Supercomputers, spinouts and the rise of the porous campus
Overview
Malaysia’s Higher Education Plan is coming to an end in 2025. Its government has outlined a new system – one that embraces the very latest technology and strengthens the capacity for universities to commercialise research. There is also a drive for graduates to be future ready, armed with practical, hands-on experience of cutting-edge research and a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. As such universities are set to become even more entwined with business - and vice versa. But how does the coming together of supercomputers, spinouts and a more porous campus deliver a template for change in the country?
Featured podcast
Malaysia welcomes more international students than any other country in SE Asia, yet is losing talent faster than most with its brightest minds leaving the country to pursue careers overseas. This episode opens the series and explores how universities could turn the situation around – how supercomputers, spin outs and a more porous campus could help reshape the sector to position the country as an attractive option for students, researchers, workers and business.
Featuring Andrew Sheng, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Global Institute, University of Hong Kong and Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Bristol.
Episodes
Meet our speakers
Professor Evelyn Welch
Professor Evelyn Welch became Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol in September 2022. She was previously Senior Vice-President for Service, People & Planning at King’s College London, and had been Vice-President (Arts and Sciences) and Provost (Arts and Sciences).
Andrew Sheng
Andrew Sheng is a former central banker and financial regulator in Asia - and a commentator on global finance. He is also an alumnus of the University of Bristol, our Pro-Chancellor and Distinguished Fellow, Asia Global Institute, University of Hong Kong.
Datuk Dr Paul Chan
Professor Chan is Co-Founder, Chancellor and President of HELP University. He has had an interesting career as an economic advisor and entrepreneur - in addition to a distinguished career in academia. Paul also spent a significant amount of time as the Chairman for the Division of Applied Economics at the University of Malaya.
Professor Hope Hailey
Veronica Hope Hailey is the Inaugural Dean of the University of Bristol Business School and Special Advisor to the Vice Chancellor. Veronica was previously based at the University of Bath where she was Dean and University Vice President for 7 years until 2020, when she became Emeritus Professor. Veronica is mainly known for her research on Trust and Trustworthy Leadership.
Professor Brian Squire
Brian is the incoming Dean of the University of Bristol Business School. He also represents the School as it transitions to the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) currently being built at the heart of the city. This will be the School's future home and Brian will be supporting colleagues in the areas of education, international and cross-campus collaborations.
Simon Bond
Simon is the Director of Bristol Innovations - a team that brings together the expertise of the University of Bristol with investors, business partners and industry talent to translate cutting-edge research into meaningful, real-world impact. The University of Bristol has been recognised as one of the top cities in the UK for producing university spinout companies.
Ts. Mohd Roydean Osman
Ts. Mohd Roydean bin Osman has over 25 years of experience in the field of Research and Development, Innovation Management, and as a Technology Strategist. He is currently the Vice President of Innovation & Commercialisation at Taylor’s University’s Centre for Research & Enterprise: Knowledge Transfer & Commercialisation.
Professor McIntosh-Smith
Simon McIntosh-Smith is Professor in High Performance Computing (HPC) at the University of Bristol and responsible for the delivery of Isambard-AI, the UK's most powerful supercomputer. Simon's research focuses on advanced computer architectures and performance portability, and he plays a key role in developing the UK's HPC services.
More on Bristol
ResearchPod
ResearchPod is the University of Bristol's podcast partner and host of this series. ResearchPod works with academics to help transform research into accessible, engaging podcasts. It connects the research community to a global audience of peers and the public, raising visibility and impact. With a dedicated team of researchers, audio engineers, and social media managers, ResearchPod can support every step of podcast production, from concept to global dissemination.