Research Excellence Centre (REC)
The Research Excellence Centre (REC) is UNITEN’s central hub for research management, governance and researcher support, serving all Research Institutes, colleges and research entities across the university. REC coordinates research funding opportunities, manages internal grant calls and provides the systems, guidance and professional support needed to strengthen research quality and researcher capabilities.
REC supports the full research lifecycle, from grant application and project implementation to expenditure management, monitoring, reporting, publication, research visibility, impact and collaboration. Working closely with UNITEN’s Research Institutes and wider research community, REC helps ensure that research is effectively managed and translated into high-quality outcomes for academia, industry and society.
Research Grant Management
End-to-end support for internal, national and international research grants, from application and project administration to monitoring, reporting and closure.
Learn More →Research Finance & Asset Management
Coordination of research budgets, expenditure, financial documentation and research assets to support efficient project implementation.
Learn More →Research Quality & Analytics
Monitoring and analysis of research performance, quality, outcomes and institutional indicators to support strategic planning and continuous improvement.
Learn More →Researcher Development
Workshops, training and capacity-building programmes that strengthen researcher competencies across different career stages.
Learn More →Publications
Support for publication quality, appropriate publication channels, indexed publications, citations and available publication and conference support.
Learn More →Research Talent Management
Coordination and administration of postdoctoral researchers, Graduate Research Assistants, Research Assistants, Research Officers and special-service personnel.
Learn More →Research Visibility, Impact & Engagement
Promoting UNITEN research through digital media, showcases, events, stakeholder engagement and initiatives that demonstrate research impact.
Learn More →Higher Institution Centre of Excellence
Support for the development, monitoring and management of Higher Institution Centre of Excellence initiatives, performance reporting and strategic development.
Learn More →UNITEN R&D Sdn Bhd (URND)
UNITEN R&D Sdn. Bhd. (URND) is the commercialisation and business arm of Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), connecting the University’s research, innovation and technical expertise with industry, government and the wider market. URND provides a platform to translate knowledge and technology into industry-ready, market-driven and sustainable solutions.
Established on 18 November 2008, URND is a recognised Research and Development (R&D) status company by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) under Section 34B of the Income Tax Act 1967. URND is also a registered consulting company with the Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF).
Working closely with UNITEN’s Research Institutes and experts, URND develops research, consultancy, technology transfer and commercialisation opportunities with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and its subsidiaries, industries, government agencies and international partners. This position enables URND to bridge academic expertise with real-world needs and deliver high-impact, scalable and commercially relevant solutions.
URND's Track Record
FY2008–FY2025
URND’s project portfolio spans four major partner groups: TNB and its subsidiaries, industries, government, and international organisations and partners.
URND's Core Service Areas
Research and Project Management
URND facilitates industry- and market-oriented research by connecting external needs with UNITEN’s multidisciplinary research expertise. It supports the development and management of research and consultancy projects, from opportunity identification and engagement through project coordination and delivery.
Learn More →Technical Consultancy
URND connects organisations with UNITEN subject matter experts to address technical and operational challenges. Consultancy engagements draw on expertise across energy, engineering, computing, infrastructure, sustainability, policy and other specialised domains.
Learn More →Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer
URND supports the protection, management and transfer of intellectual property arising from UNITEN research. Its activities include invention disclosure management, intellectual property filing and management, IP audits, technology transfer and support for pathways that move research outcomes towards practical application.
Learn More →Commercialisation and Innovation
URND supports the translation of UNITEN research and innovations into commercially viable solutions through market validation, licensing, business development and engagement with potential industry adopters.
Learn More →Management of Funds
URND supports the administration and management of research, technology and project funds associated with external engagements, helping to enable effective project implementation and delivery.
Learn More →Technical Training and Capacity Building
URND facilitates technical training, knowledge transfer and capability-development programmes that draw on UNITEN’s academic and industry expertise. These programmes support organisations in strengthening technical competencies and responding to evolving technology and industry requirements.
Learn More →Research and Technical Expertise
URND draws on UNITEN’s six specialised Research Institutes and the University’s wider pool of researchers and technical experts. This enables multidisciplinary solutions across strategic energy and technology domains, including:
- Power engineering and energy systems
- Sustainable and clean energy
- Energy policy, economics and sustainability
- Energy infrastructure and the built environment
- Informatics, computing, artificial intelligence and digital technologies in energy
- Nuclear energy and related technologies
Innovation and Commercialization
URND works with UNITEN researchers, industry and other stakeholders to accelerate the translation of intellectual property and research outputs into solutions with market and societal value. Through its innovation and technology-transfer activities, URND helps identify technology opportunities, understand industry needs, protect intellectual property and develop suitable commercialisation pathways.
URND’s Innovation Marketplace provides a platform for technology offers and industry technology needs, helping to connect UNITEN innovations with potential adopters, collaborators, licensees and commercial partners.
Research Talent
URND oversees a dedicated pool of more than 120 research assistants supporting research and innovation activities across energy-related and multidisciplinary domains. This research talent contributes to project delivery, capability development and the translation of research into practical outcomes.