August 18th, 2026 - The 11th University Consortium (UC) Graduate Forum, hosted by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and themed Building Research Capacity for Food Security: Innovating Solutions for Sustainable Systems, officially opened on 18 August 2026. More than 50 officials, graduate students, and guests from 13 UC member institutions are attending the two-day forum. The UC Graduate Forum features six parallel sessions showcasing research outcomes on the following topics: Innovating Research for Sustainable Food Security (Session 1), Policy and Governance in Food Security Research (Session 2), Leveraging Technology in Food Security Research (Session 3), Interdisciplinary Approaches to Food Security (Session 4), Bridging Research and Community Action for Food Security (Session 5), and Nutrition, Food Safety, and Public Health for Future Food Security (Session 6). In addition to the academic sessions, participants will have the opportunity to visit Farm Fresh and UPM’s Animal Anatomy Museum.

 

The opening ceremony featured welcome messages from Prof. Zalilah Mohd Shariff, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies of UPM, and Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director of SEARCA, followed by a keynote address by YBhg. Dató Prof. Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah titled "Giving Impact to Agriculture and Food Security: The Transformative Journey from Postgraduate to Subject Matter Expert."

 

The UC Graduate Forum is an annual event that provides graduate students from UC member institutions with a platform to exchange knowledge, research findings, innovative ideas, and academic experiences in an open and collaborative environment. It promotes transdisciplinary research, strengthens institutional partnerships, and fosters greater integration of research efforts among UC members. This year’s forum brings together 37 graduate students from 13 UC member universities.