In partnership with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), 4Sciences supported the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) in a national review of research costing and pricing practices. The project aimed to strengthen financial sustainability in Malaysia’s R&D ecosystem by examining how institutions account for both direct and indirect costs, identifying recoverable costs across funding schemes, and developing policy recommendations to guide national strategy.
Working closely with ASM’s Special Interest Group on Full Economic Costing (SIGFEC), the team designed and implemented a nationwide survey targeting all research-performing organisations (RPOs) in Malaysia. This was complemented by a series of webinars and core group meetings to facilitate institutional engagement and co-create insights.
The study also drew on international benchmarking and literature review to contextualise findings within global practices. Results are expected to inform Malaysian government policy and will be presented by the ACU at future Commonwealth meetings of Heads of Government, Education, and Finance Ministers – contributing to broader discussions on sustainable research funding models.