Technology is at the heart of the UK economy - whether it's artificial intelligence, blockchain, cyber security or data analytics, It spurs innovation and investments, bringing tremendous impact on economic growth. According to the Tech Nation Report 2018, the UK digital tech sector now brings nearly £184 billion to the economy. The turnover of digital technology companies has grown by 4.5% between 2016 and 2017; significantly higher than the 1.7% growth in UK GDP during the same period. Having transformed the digital tech sector successfully, there is a lot of knowledge and experience that the UK can share with Malaysia.
Several UK companies are already making headway in Malaysia through partnership. Commissum is an example where UK cyber security technology is making its way to Malaysia, and using the country as a springboard to penetrate other parts of the region. Their operation in Malaysia not only creates opportunities for knowledge to be transferred to the country, but also help meet the growing demand for cyber protection in the region.
HYPERVSN, a London-based media solution company specialising in creating, displaying and managing 3D video content, is another example where a UK tech company is complementing Malaysian businesses to make the most of visual advertising, apply pin-point targeting and break the mould with cutting-edge technology.
The UK is a go-to hub for tech businesses and education. In London alone, there are over 240,000 digital technology employees servicing AI, data analytics, cyber security and IoT. With 170 universities and higher education institutions, the UK also has the highest number of graduates of any Western European nation. Crucially, technology is now at the core of education system, with children as young as five now being given lessons in coding as part of the standard curriculum. The UK was the first G20 country to formally recognise the importance of teaching children computing and since September 2014 schools have offered students access to the technology to be code-ready for employment in a world where coding will be a key skill.
Recently, researchers from Malaysia and the UK collaborated to explore the multifaceted competencies needed by astronomy students in handling big data through virtual learning platform. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and University of Leicester (ULEIC) team researchers will be sharing their field knowledge and industry experience using Astronomy Online Lab (AOL) based on astronomy themes such as Earth Observation, Planetary Motion, Radio and Space Plasma Physics, Space and Earth Electromagnetism.
UK was again named TechNation's 'digital capital of Europe' - ranking as one of the world's best countries for its approach to innovation and technology. These factors have enabled the UK as the go-to hub for expert knowledge and innovative application. There is tremendous scope to foster innovation and partnership among Malaysia and the UK, and build strong connections in education, technology, trade and tourism. Knowledge exchange and best practice sharing between the two nations would be the best way to learn from each other.
To learn more about the UK’s technology capabilities and innovative solutions that could help your business grow, contact the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) team in KL directly for tailored advice for Malaysian companies, or visit DIT’s UK Innovation website in South-East Asia.