Walker Institute invites applications for Malaysia workshop

Friday, 15 January 2016

The Walker Institute at Reading is inviting applications from Early Career Researchers interested in participating in a workshop it is running in Malaysia in March.

Organised in partnership with Crops For the Future in Malaysia (CFF), the workshop will focus on building resilience to climate change through innovative and sustainable agricultural technologies.

It is scheduled to take place on 14 and 15 March at the CFF facility in Selangor.

The Workshop will provide Early Career Researchers an opportunity to develop research ideas that contribute to building climate resilience and enhance their research skills and profile.

The focus is on “learning-by doing” which will develop a participant’s potential through inquiry, experience sharing, teamwork, stakeholder engagement and networking.

Interested scientists and social scientists can download the application form and programme by clicking here.

The workshop has been funded by Newton Fund Research Link through the British Council.

University of Reading will be represented by Dr Maria Noguer, Dr Eleanor Fisher and Dr Henny Osbahr, while CFF Malaysia will be represented by Prof Sue Walker, Prof Chin Kooi On, Dr Mian Lim and Dr Patrick O’Reilly.

Dr Maria Noguer, Walker Institute Climate Research Coordinator, said: “The Workshop brings together University of Reading's expertise on climate change, socio-economic welfare and development with Crops For the Future's expertise on agro-biodiversity and climate resilient cropping systems, to devise responses to diverse climate resilience challenges in Malaysia that support agri-businesses and rural communities.”

Dr Eleanor Fisher, Associate Professor of International Development at the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, said: “One of the aspects that we will be investigating during the workshop is how equitable social and economic development of rural communities can be incorporated into pathways for climate resilient agricultural innovation in Malaysia.”

Professor Sue Walker, Crops for the Future in Malaysia, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for Early Career Researchers’ to build their research portfolios while contributing to innovative new thinking on agricultural development that places climate resilience at centre stage”.

The workshop will build on the connections that the University of Reading already has with Malaysia. University of Reading Malaysia offers courses in a range of areas including business and finance, quantity surveying, real estate, psychology, English language teaching as well as the prestigious Henley Business School MBA. Further information about the University of Reading Malaysia can be found here.