The Second Workshop on Developing Marine Scientific Research (MSR) Guidelines for Malaysia
By Centre for Ocean Governance (COG)
The Second Workshop on Developing Marine Scientific Research (MSR) Guidelines for Malaysia was held on 12 June 2025 at the Southeast Asia Maritime Institute, UOW Malaysia. Organised by the Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, in collaboration with the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong, the event brought together participants from key agencies including the National Security Council (NSC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), Australian High Commission and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). Opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Sarah Lothian, on behalf of ANCORS’s Director, setting the stage for knowledge-sharing and inter-agency engagement.
The highlight of the workshop was the presentations by Prof. Dr. Wan Izatul Asma, INOS’s Head of Centre for Ocean Governance, and Dr. Sarah Lothian, which introduced the core concepts of Marine Scientific Research, presented benchmarking insights from Australia and Vietnam and the draft guideline developed. The workshop provided a valuable platform for capacity-building, cross-agency awareness, and knowledge exchange around the development of Malaysia’s national MSR framework. Outcomes from the session will support the continued refinement of the guidelines to enhance effective and coordinated MSR governance, which is one of the outputs from INOS’s Higher Institution Centre of Excellence programme.
