FRGS 2025: A Sudden Turn, a Tight Deadline, and a Research Mission That Matters

Posted on August 2, 2025 ·

The Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), funded by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), faced an unexpected disruption in early February 2025 when the MyGRANTS system abruptly went offline. Since then, the fate of FRGS proposals and the many researchers who had applied, remained uncertain, leaving a cloud of doubt over the national research agenda.

However, today brought a surprising development. All FRGS applicants from the early 2025 cycle, including myself, received an email notification instructing us to improve and resubmit our proposals manually. Specifically, we were asked to include supporting quotations for V24000 (research materials), V28000 (professional services), and V29000 (rental and maintenance). What came as a shock was the urgency of the deadline, just 33 hours to revise, complete, and submit everything to our respective Research Alliance (RA).

Once verified for completeness and accuracy, the proposals will be forwarded to the Research Management Centre (RMC) for final submission to MOHE. The timeline is intense, but the mission remains clear.

My FRGS proposal this time focuses on a cutting-edge topic:
Converting Fuel Oil Blended Stock (FOBS) to Hydrogen using waste catalysts from refineries.
This project holds great promise in addressing the long-standing FOBS-related issues faced by refineries worldwide, particularly in sustainability and waste valorization. I believe strongly in the future relevance of this research, which is still in its early stages.

Since 2020, I have been working on this idea with the help of several research students. Together, we have built a foundation with experimental and thermodynamic studies and have already published several research articles. Alhamdulillah, the work is steadily gaining traction.

Despite the sudden rush and limited time, I remain committed to pushing this research forward. The road may be steep, but if successful, this project could contribute meaningfully to sustainable hydrogen production and industrial waste management.

Let’s hope this proposal finds its way to success and that FRGS continues to support transformative research like this for years to come.

#20242025 Day 033

#Saturday

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 2 Research, 4 Publication, 6 Supervision, RMC Tagged With: , , , ,

Marking METE1153 ODL Occupational Safety in Energy System

Posted on July 26, 2025 ·

Today is Saturday—an off-day—but official responsibilities still call. Knowing that next week will be packed with activities, I’ve decided to make full use of today to complete the marking for my final exam scripts for METE1153 ODL: Occupational Safety in Energy Systems. There are 28 students, and all their answer scripts are in PDF format, which means I have to do all the marking on my laptop—a task that is both time-consuming and mentally demanding.

In addition to that, I also need to start thinking about how to manage UTM’s FRGS (Fundamental Research Grant Scheme) proposals—an overwhelming total of 598 submissions. Of course, it’s not something I’m handling alone, but within my capacity and scope, I have to contribute as best as I can. We’re all hoping that UTM secures as many FRGS grants as possible. The application process itself has already been delayed since February this year due to persistent issues with the MyGRANTS portal, which had been inaccessible for months.

Despite it being a weekend, the work must go on.

Other tasks of the day include Service Marsya’s Axia’s and Major grocery shopping

#20242025 Day 026

#Saturday

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, 2 Research, RMC Tagged With: , , , ,

Prototype Research Grant Scheme (PRGS) 2025 Briefing

Posted on July 10, 2025 ·

It’s that time of the year again. UTM has just received notification from the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) regarding the release of the Prototype Research Grant Scheme (PRGS). In response, I was entrusted to conduct the PRGS briefing session, which took place earlier today and began at 9.30 a.m. The session was well attended, with approximately 70 participants comprising academic staff and researchers. Including the Q&A session, the briefing concluded at around 11.10 a.m.

Together with RMC and the Research Alliance, and on behalf of UTM as a whole, we sincerely hope to see a strong response from our research community. Ideally, we are targeting at least 10 applications, with hopes of reaching up to 20 submissions. With a conversion rate of approximately 25%, this could potentially translate into 3 to 6 successful PRGS recipients, a highly encouraging outcome that would contribute meaningfully to our research performance and innovation agenda.

Other tasks of the day: (1) Evaluation of Nexus Pesara Grant (8.15am); (2) Mesyuarat JK Penilaian Dana PPMu Bil.5/2025 (2.30pm); Mesyuarat RA x RMC July 2025 (4.15pm)

Evaluation of Nexus Pesara Grant (8.15am)
Mesyuarat RA x RMC July 2025

#20242025 Day 010

#Thursday

Filed Under: 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, 2 Research, Meeting Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

2022 Day 38 Task – FRGS Progress Report Submission

Posted on February 7, 2022 ·

I lost track of previous FRGS progress report reminder but finally an email that arrived in my inbox today quickly provided me the instant alert I needed. The alert clearly mentioned you have ONE more day left.

Without hesitating, I immediately login to my Mygrant Portal to do the report. I struggled at first because I am not used to the system and it is not that we do this report on a monthly basis. Luckily I managed to be assured on what to do after calling Asmadi for help, just to double confirm which part to fill up. Alhamdulillah I have just submitted the report and asked my ARO, Amelia at RMC to check if the progress report passed through.

Other tasks for the day:

  • Planning and meeting about SPC22
  • Various equipment and consumable purchase for my Master student
  • AJEE management
  • SCEE WBS work in progress
  • SCEE support letter from …
  • Setting appointment with TNCA and TNCPI to discuss few EE matters.
Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day Tagged With: , , , ,

2021 Day 230 Task – Preparation and Submission of MyGrant Report

Posted on August 19, 2021 ·

The Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) report has nearly ended. I managed to filled up the progress report. It was not a good progress mainly because I failed to get a masters student to work on the FRGS project despite of countless effort promoting and inviting potential students. I hope and pray that I will get a new student to work on this project soon.

I did not expect the FRGS report to be that detail. It took quite some time to complete all the sections in the online report dashboard. Pheww…

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day Tagged With: , ,

Day 82 Task – FRGS Correction and Finalizing METE1153

Posted on March 22, 2020 ·

I thought my FRGS initial correction was fine, but I received a message that it still require some touch of correction. Well, that’s fine. I just spent some time to view and scrutinize the part that require corrections. I uploaded more quotations on the research materials as well as corrected some part of my V29000 descriptions. Nothing major. Luckily i managed to complete the correction and resubmit the FRGS proposal once again.

On top of the FRGS improvement efforts, I also redesigned the Course Information for Occupational Safety for Energy Systems (METE1153). This is course is going to be designed in such way that Micro-Credential (MC) will be integrated together with the course offered. I found this interesting and it ended up that I reshuffled all the originally designed weekly plan of the course. I am happier with the outcome. Alhamdulillah.

 

Read all my “1 Official Task Per Day Record Challenge for 2020” —> https://people.utm.my/zakiyamani/category/1-activity-1-day/

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Day 37 Task – Preparing FRGS Grant & Working on Correction for TRGS

Posted on February 6, 2020 ·

The due date for FRGS grant is just around the corner and I need to start preparing it. It is not easy. Last time I successfully secured FRGS was in 2009. That means I haven’t had FRGS under my name for 11 years already. I need to keep trying. All the best to me 🙂

Read all my “1 Official Task Per Day Record Challenge for 2020” —> https://people.utm.my/zakiyamani/category/1-activity-1-day/

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Day 34 Task – Presentation of TRGS Grant

Posted on February 3, 2020 ·

Today ended with a TRGS presentation at Bilik Mesyuarat Belgian at TNCPI Office. This research program is headed by PM Dr. Mazura Jusoh, who also the Head for Project 1. Dr. Jaysuman from School of Electrical headed Project 2 while Dr. Sarina Sulaiman from School of Computing headed Project 3. I am the member for Project 1 and 2. Hopefully we can  get the project… Pray for us.

Read all my “1 Official Task Per Day Record Challenge for 2020” —> https://people.utm.my/zakiyamani/category/1-activity-1-day/

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 2 Research Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Day 12 Task: FRGS, LRGS, PRGS AND TRGS Grant Briefing

Posted on January 12, 2020 ·

 

Semua penyelidik dijemput hadir ke sesi taklimat Dana Penyelidikan KPM 1/2020 yang akan diadakan sebagaimana berikut:
Tarikh : 12 Januari 2020 (Ahad)
Masa : 2.30 petang
Tempat : Dewan CTL, Bangunan F54, UTMJB
Tarikh : 16 Januari 2020 (Khamis)
Masa : 11.00 pagi
Tempat : Bilik Seminar, Menara Razak, UTMKL
Video Conferencing:
Tempat : Bilik Mesyuarat Photosynthesis, UTM Pagoh
Semua penyelidik adalah digalakkan membawa garis panduan geran semasa sesi taklimat tersebut sebagai rujukan.

 

Read all my “1 Official Task Per Day Record Challenge for 2020” —> https://people.utm.my/zakiyamani/category/1-activity-1-day/

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 2 Research Tagged With: , , ,
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