The opening ceremony of IRSC 2025
TAR UMT recently hosted the International Researcher and Student Conference (IRSC) 2025 on August 14 and 15, bringing together academics, industry professionals, and students under the theme of “Future-Proofing Business and Education: Innovation, Resilience and Sustainability”. The two-day event was designed with a dual-track structure, featuring a research track for scholars to present their work and a student track focused on professional development and industry engagement. 348 participants from TAR UMT, along with 35 international participants and 100 researchers were part of this year’s conference. Delegates from countries like China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines made the event a truly diverse and global platform.
The IRSC has a rich history, evolving from its predecessor, the International Student Conference (ISC) in 2019, to provide a platform for students and employers to share values and foster business relationships. The conference later expanded its scope to include researchers alongside students in the subsequent International Researcher and Student Conferences (IRSC) in 2023 and 2025. Organised by the Faculty of Accountancy, Finance and Business (FAFB), IRSC aims to promote academic exchange, encourage cross-cultural dialogue, and strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, and students at local and international levels. This year’s theme of "future-proofing" was chosen to address the need for innovation to stay competitive, resilience to withstand disruptions, and sustainability to ensure long-term success in a fast-changing world.
This year’s keynote speakers were Professor Dr Michael Frese from Asia Business School, representing the academic community, and Professor Dato’ Dr Jim Khor Mun Wei, the Group Managing Director of Hong Leong Industries Bhd and Managing Director of Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn Bhd, who provided a crucial perspective from the business world.
This dialogue between academia and industry continued on Day 2 in the student track. The student sessions were practical, career-oriented talks led by industry professionals, touching on topics such as global talent trends 2025 and building a future-proof business in a changing world. These sessions provided students with direct access to professionals who could discuss real-world challenges and opportunities, directly linking academic themes to future careers.
As for the researcher track, the academic research papers presented at the conference formed its intellectual core, with a strong focus on topics directly related to the "future-proofing" theme. The papers revealed six dominant themes:
- Digital Transformation, AI, and Innovation: Papers explored the pervasive role of digital technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), in reshaping business and education.
- Sustainability, ESG, and Environmental Practices: This theme was prominent, with papers examining the financial implications of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria and green supply chain management.
- Human Capital, Resilience, and Mental Health: Researchers addressed the human element of future-proofing, focusing on psychological well-being and resilience.
- Finance, Markets, and Governance: This theme explored the dynamics of financial markets with studies on topics like Islamic market performance and herding behavior in stock markets.
- Marketing and Consumer Behavior: Papers in this area focused on how user-generated content and social media influence consumer purchase intentions.
- Education and Institutional Development: This theme addressed pedagogical innovation and aligning graduate competencies with industry expectations.
A significant number of studies centered on the Southeast Asian context, with a clear and consistent focus on challenges and opportunities within Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, positioning the conference as a vital platform for regional research and dialogue.
