This courtesy visit was led by YBrs. Tuan Haji Sheikh Arifin bin Sheikh Mohd Noor, Deputy Director-General (Management) of the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), and received by YBrs. Professor Dr. Zahriladha bin Zakaria, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), alongside the RICE management team. The visit aimed to strengthen strategic relations between MyIPO and UTeM, particularly in the management, protection, and commercialization of intellectual property.

Also discussed was the potential implementation of joint programmes such as patent filing workshops, support from MyIPO facilitators, and the empowerment of a more systematic intellectual property protection process at UTeM. In addition to the courtesy visit session at the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), the MyIPO delegation was taken on a tour of the UTeM Melaka RICE Collaboration Management Centre Gallery, which showcases various university innovations, research outputs, and commercialization projects.

Location: TNCPI Office Meeting Room, Level 4, Chancellery Building

Date: April 23, 2026 (Thursday)

The main objective of this programme is to introduce, design, and implement the production of furniture and souvenir products based on used plastic waste among the community of Kampung Bukit Pulau, Melaka. In line with this, the programme aims to increase local community income generation while reducing plastic waste pollution through the production and marketing of recycled material-based products.

The implementation of this project also emphasizes the empowerment of the circular economy at the community level by providing additional income-generating opportunities through the production of portable furniture and souvenirs from used plastic. The proximity of Kampung Bukit Pulau to Melaka city center leaves it vulnerable to plastic waste accumulation. Thus, this initiative is seen as having high potential to leverage waste resources into high-value raw materials, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability through plastic waste reduction.

Location: Kampung Bukit Pulau Community Hall, Melaka

Date: April 12, 2026 (Sunday)

The "Transforming Productivity & Leadership with Generative AI" training for Lembaga Tabung Haji staff was successfully executed by the RICE-UTeM Collaboration Management Centre in partnership with Tabung Haji. The programme was delivered by Ts. Dr. Mohd Azlishah bin Othman from the Faculty of Electronic and Computer Engineering Technology (FTKEK), with active participation from Tabung Haji staff across the Southern Region, covering Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Johor. The programme utilized an interactive approach through practical workshops and comprehensive knowledge-sharing sessions.

Throughout the programme, participants demonstrated high levels of commitment and engagement, providing very positive feedback regarding the training content. Participants successfully mastered Deep Research methods in depth and utilized platforms like NotebookLM to synthesize information for marketing, Hajj management, and investment analysis purposes. This capability helped accelerate the preparation of proposals and working papers in a more systematic and efficient manner.

The UTeM-Melaka RICE Collaboration Management Centre (RICE) organized the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Knowledge Sharing and Transfer Programme (KSTP): UTeM STEM Centre Roadshow at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Datuk Bendahara.

The programme aimed to expose school students to the application of robotics technology in manufacturing engineering. Very positive feedback was received from the participants.

Location: SMK Datuk Bendahara

Date: February 12, 2026 (Thursday)