MASTIC

The aim of the survey is to measure the investment in creation of new scientific and technological knowledge by the performance of research and development (R&D). The analysis of the survey result provides an insight into the growth of R&D activities undertaken by the public and private sectors in Malaysia. Accurate and timely data on various R&D activities in the country must be gathered comprehensively to provide crucial input for the policy makers.

The national survey of innovation has been conducted since 1994 to provide information on the state of technological development in the country. It has assisted policymakers in identifying the characteristic of innovation in greater detail which is important for the purpose of policy intervention. The methodology employed in the survey was based on the recommendations of the Oslo Manual and the Community Innovation Surveys carried out in the European Union (EU) countries.

The aim of the survey was to measure the Malaysian public awareness, attitude towards, interest in, and understanding of science, technology and innovation (STI) as well as to ascertain the extent of the public's involvement in the STI programmes and the success of the implementation of these programmes. The findings are useful particularly for policy makers to plan and employ better strategies to make STI less formidable and more appealing to Malaysians. The public, in return, will benefit from effective STI programmes, will bring about positive impact on both social and economic development. Furthermore, comparisons were also made with other countries for policy making and benchmarking.

The national bibliometric study was conducted to lay the foundation for creating a national bibliometric database required for strategic planning of science and technology (S&T) development of the country. The objectives of the study are to identify S&T knowledge output by Malaysian scientists measured by the number of published papers at the international level, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the performance of institutions and individuals in relevant fields of research and to identify the extent of collaboration among institutions and countries.

The Malaysian Science and Technology Indicators is the consolidation of data from surveys conducted by MASTIC as well as a compilation of secondary data from other organisations and agencies. The report provides details of the national performance and trends in S&T including education, human resource development, research and development, innovation, scientific publications and public awareness of S&T. It also contains comprehensive indicators to benchmark the nation's status and performance over the years as well as internationally.