i-CATS Research Policy

POLICY STATEMENT 

In line with the vision of i-CATS University College (i-CATS UC) to become an educational institution of choice, producing industry-ready graduates, i-CATS UC is committed in developing a culture of research and innovation amongst staff and students. Through this research policy, i-CATS UC works toward becoming a prominent university in community-based research where researches are driven by the UC's desire to contribute towards sustainable community and industry. 

SCOPE OF POLICY 

This policy applies to all i-CATS UC researchers from any campus conducting research. Researchers refer to i-CATS UC staff (academics & non-academics), students, adjuncts, and associates. In addition, an academic refers to a teacher or scholar in i-CATS UC. This document belongs to the Senate of i-CATS UC and may be revised with Senate’s approval. 

For this policy, the term “research” can be broadly defined as a methodical and disciplined endeavour to create and advance knowledge. Research takes many forms across disciplines, including scientific and social research findings, the creation or refinement of concepts and theories, methodologies, or expansion of current knowledge. 

OBJECTIVES 

This research policy serves as the foundation for all future research framework, development, promotion, and execution policies at i-CATS UC. Through this policy, i-CATS UC expresses its commitment to: 

• contribute towards Sustainable Development Goals locally and globally; 

• ensure that all research at i-CATS UC meets the requirements of generally accepted good governance and integrity; 

• establish a framework that encourages, coordinates, and manages the planning and execution of research activities. 

RESEARCH AS A SCHOLARLY WORK 

Through this policy, i-CATS UC wishes to emphasise the importance of research for all academics as a significant and integral part of their academic responsibilities. Researchers should enhance the reputation of i-CATS UC by the quality of their research works and publications. Research conducted by all researchers should fall under at least one of the UC's research clusters. The requirement for i-CATS UC academics to undertake research is their career development and will be balanced with other obligations, including teaching, administrative responsibilities, and contributing to society. To this end, they will: 

1. Participate actively in the research activities and deliver quality research outputs; 

2. Supervise and foster research culture among undergraduate (Foundation, Diploma, Bachelor) and graduate students (Master, Ph.D.); 

3. Contribute to a positive research culture through knowledge transfer (mentoring, stewardship, colloquium) and administrative duties related to research; 

4. Pursue continuous improvement by participating in national or international research workshops, seminars, networks, and working with local and foreign partners; 

5. Stay informed and up-to-date with knowledge advancement and research topics of relevance to their area of interest; 

6. Publicise research results through lectures at national and international seminars, conferences, and as publications in scientific journals or other media; 

7. Participate in initiatives to secure external grants/ funding/ financial support for research activities, such as government funding, consultancy, industrial partnerships, and commercialisation opportunities); 

8. Handle intellectual property and expertise according to the University's policy and to take advantage of commercialisation opportunities of research; 

9. Be involved in relevant professional entities and community services to which their expertise relates; 

RESEARCH ETHICS AND MISCONDUCTS 

Researchers will conduct their research in compliance with Malaysian laws, regulations, guidelines, and responsible research practices outlined in the Malaysian Code of Responsible Conduct in Research (MCRCR) document. Where research involves data from humans or animals, researchers will acquire ethics approval from the i-CATS Institutional Review Board (IRB) before research commences. Academics will ensure research is conducted according to the highest standards of practice and free from misconducts such as: 

1. fabrication; 

2. falsification; 

3. misrepresentation of research findings (out of context, stretching, distorting, ignoring findings, and biased interpretation) 

4. plagiarism; 

5. failure to follow standard protocols or exercise reasonable care in avoiding danger or harm to individuals or animals, the environment, and confidential information used in the research. 

Researchers will be accountable for the integrity of their own research and research conducted by those they supervise. Under no circumstances will i-CATS UC be held responsible or liable in any way for research misconducts by researchers who disregard the UC's research policy. 

RESEARCH MANAGEMENT 

Research management covers aspects of management, monitoring, financial/grant management, helpdesk and support, publication, and ethics to ensure that all research activities are carried out efficiently and effectively. Research management in i-CATS UC is managed by the i-CATS Research and Innovation Centre (iRIC) under the office of Deputy Vice-Chancellor in Research and Innovation. 

In support of scholarly works by i-CATS UC's researchers, the UC strives towards the following: 

1. Continuous advancement towards research excellence nationally and internationally; 

2. Cultivate research culture and provide a conducive environment to support research activities; 

3. Provide induction, training, professional development, and continuing support for all researchers. However, researchers must also be proactive in pursuing continuous improvement and knowledge advancement; 

4. Outline expectations for research to appropriately balance other responsibilities. 

5. Ensure intellectual freedom to the researchers to choose and pursue their research of interest in line with the research policy; 

6. Provide support and ethical screening for all research and grant applications through its grant management section; 

7. Constantly monitor all research conducted by university’s researchers through their respective research units and faculties. 

RESEARCH FUNDING 

Funds for research activities at i-CATS UC may be sourced from official government funds, commercial or corporate funds, trust funds, or funds from academic institutions for self or joint projects. Researchers are encouraged to request or bid for research funding from these sources. 

All i-CATS UC researchers are responsible for informing and seeking approval from i-CATS UC via the Research Management Centre (iRMC) for all external research funding. External fundings will only be authorised where they are contracted through an agreement with i-CATS UC, even if i-CATS UC does not administer the funds. The University will not authorise a funding application or enter into any research agreement where a researcher(s) has an unmanaged conflict of interest. Each fund will be approved after careful consideration of the risks associated with the external entity, including assessing the financial and reputational risks. 

DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH OUTPUT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) 

Authorship credit should be given to those who make significant contributions to intellectual and scientific work, and it should correctly and honestly reflect those efforts. In addition, the order of authors must be a collective decision of the authors involved. 

Researchers who conduct the study have the right and the duty to publish their research findings. However, when they agree to delegate this responsibility to others, they should do so only if they have received a mutually agreed commitment to publish or disseminate the results within an agreed period, 

content, manner, and with due recognition of the relevant researchers as well as i-CATS UC as an institution. 

Through its Research Management Center, i-CATS UC will assist in publishing research findings and output to boost visibility and contribute to knowledge advancement. Dissemination includes publication in academic journals or books, conference proceedings, art forms, websites, and institutional repositories. Furthermore, research can also be communicated through traditional media, public forums, or social media. Researchers wishing to communicate their findings to the public and media should first consult the Research Management Centre (iRMC). 

Researchers must ensure responsible dissemination of their research findings, for example: 

• Compliance with authorship, acknowledgment, and affiliation criteria;

• Proper disclosure of research funding and conflicts of interest;

• Adequate protection of confidential and sensitive material;

• Avoid all predatory publishing platforms by carefully assessing publishers' and journals' credibility. 

i-CATS UC fully encourages and ensures that the commercialisation of potential inventions benefits both the public and the UC. When applicable, the result and output generated from research should be made available to the University and statutory protection (such as patenting). The ownership of intellectual property created by i-CATS UC researchers during their employment belongs to i-CATS UC, originators, and external entities involved. An equitable proportion of profit that may arise from the commercialisation of IP will be allocated to the originator(s) of intellectual property on a case-to-case basis.