Kuala Lumpur, 14th October 2011 – The World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation together with Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) today organised the 4th WIEF Global Discourse on Nanotechnology at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.The Discourse was of?ciated by YABhg. Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman, WIEF Foundation.
The WIEF-UiTM Global Discourse Series is a collaborative programme between the WIEF Foundation and the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). The purpose is to enhance understanding and to build bridges between various factions of our global community by promoting business and trade.
The 4th WIEF-UiTM Global Discourse focused on nanotechnology’s interdisciplinary nature, highlighting cutting-edge R&D in Nanomedicine, Nanoelectronics, and Nanomaterials. The discussions explored the current factors fueling nanotechnology’s growth, start-up opportunities and potential bottlenecks to viable commercialisation. It also examined predictions for future societal, environmental, ethical, and privacy implications of nanotechnology, as well as its impact on the future warfare.
Today’s Discourse brought renowned experts in the field of nanotechnology from all over the world, namely:
- Dr. Savas Alpay, Director General, Statistical, Economic & Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Turkey;
- Dr. Mehmet Bayindir, Deputy Director, UNAM – National Nanotechnology Research Center, Turkey;
- Prof Ille C Gebeshuber, Institute of Micro Engineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia & Vienna University of Technology, Austria;
- Prof. Jackie Y. Ying, Executive Director, Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore;
- Prof. Sirirurg Songsivilai, Executive Director, National Nanotechnology Center, Thailand,
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Rusop, Head, NANO-SciTech Centre (NST), Institute of Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia;
- Dr. Gunawan Witjaksono, Director, Photonics, Micro Energy & Green Technology, MIMOS Berhad, Malaysia.
The Global Discourse, attended by 150 participants consisting of academics, entrepreneurs, professionals, students and media.
“The WIEF hopes to replicate its success in business networking to scientific networking. I use this term to mean the meeting of minds to connect, discuss and create among the scientific community, which is precisely what we are doing here today.” said Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman, WIEF Foundation.
About WIEF
The WIEF Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation based in Kuala Lumpur, organises the annual World Islamic Economic Forum, a world-class business platform showcasing business opportunities in the Muslim world, and to run programmes of the various initiatives of the Foundation that strengthens people partnership and knowledge exchange between Muslim and non-Muslim communities across the globe. The Foundation aims to tackle problems in the Muslim world strictly from a business perspective, and to build bridges through business between the Muslim and non-Muslim world.
WIEF-UiTM International Centre
WIEF-UiTM International Centre, the product of collaboration between the WIEF Foundation and the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), was officially opened on 28 May 2007 by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, during the 3rd World Islamic Economic Forum held in Kuala Lumpur from 27-29 May 2007.
The idea of the Centre came as a response to the urgent need of consolidating and strengthening collaboration in education in the Muslim world. Under the auspices of the WIEF, the Centre seeks to bring together distinguished scholars, business leaders, industry practitioners and the academics to strategically plan for initiatives that will promote knowledge advancement, competencies, upgrading and capacity-building among Muslim nations and communities.
WIEF-UiTM Global Discourse Series
The Global Discourse is now a biannual event in the WIEF calendar. The WIEF Foundation is exploring the possibility of replicating the programme to benefit the academic world in other countries.