The Research and Postgraduate Centre congratulates Prof. Ir. Dr. Yong Wai Fen, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Green and Advanced Technologies in Efficient Separations (GATES), School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM), for securing the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) 2025 under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).

Prof. Ir. Dr. Yong was awarded RM136,800.00 for her project entitled "Correlations of Surface Functional Groups on Green-Synthesized Hofmann Metal-Organic Frameworks for Suppressing CO2 Plasticization in Polymeric Membranes". Her research focuses on sustainable green materials and membrane technologies for energy and environmental applications, including biogas upgrading, CO2 capture, industrial air purification, and water purification.

The grant was officially presented by YBhg. Datuk Professor Dr. Azlinda binti Azman, Director-General of Higher Education during the 2025 MOHE Research Grant Award Ceremony, held in conjunction with the Festival of Ideas on 6 November 2025 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC). Prof. Dr. Wang Huiqiong, Assistant President of XMUM, also joined her on stage to celebrate the award during the ceremony.

To date, 39 projects led by 36 XMUM academics have received FRGS funding, amounting to a total of RM4,457,825.

FRGS is a national research grant provided by MOHE to support fundamental research across various disciplines, including science, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. It embodies the philosophy of advancing fundamental knowledge, fostering technological innovation, and enriching Malaysia’s intellectual and cultural landscape in line with national aspirations.