The engagement event on Tuesday 5 May, held at NCC (Bristol and Bath Science Park), brought together senior representatives from UK Government, academia, and leading industry players, reinforcing the UK’s position as a global hub for advanced technologies and international collaboration.
Co-hosted with SMD Semiconductor and supported by the Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult, the initiative highlights the strength of the UK’s integrated innovation ecosystem – where government, research institutions, and industry work in tandem to translate cutting-edge semiconductor capabilities into real-world industrial and economic impact.
The partnership reflects growing alignment between the UK’s strategic priorities in semiconductors and advanced technologies, and Sarawak’s ambition to build a high-value, innovation-driven economy. Central to this collaboration is the role of semiconductors as a foundational technology enabling expansion into complementary sectors, including aerospace, satellite systems, and data-driven applications.
The session was attended by the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr.) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, who underscored the critical role of semiconductors in driving sustainable and technology-led growth and further noted that advancements in semiconductor capabilities are enabling Sarawak’s progression into aerospace and satellite-related technologies, particularly in supporting connectivity, remote sensing, and next-generation data systems.
He said: “Semiconductor technologies are critical in this journey, enabling greater energy efficiency, optimising system performance, and supporting low-carbon solutions. The connection between energy and semiconductors is deeply integrated within our long-term strategy.”
Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, officially opened proceedings and welcomed guests to the start of the day which saw in attendance senior UK stakeholders including John Edwards, from the UK Government’s Office for Investment, and Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, alongside leading industry players such as Rolls-Royce, GKN Aerospace, Nexperia, Space West, the Centre for Modelling and Simulation (CFMS), and Sora Aviation.
Professor Welch spoke of the growing partnership between Sarawak and the University of Bristol being an example of the UK’s ability to lead globally through collaboration and turning cutting-edge research into real-world impact:
Professor Welch said: “This engagement marks a significant step forward in our partnership with Sarawak. Building on our Memorandum of Understanding with SMD Semiconductor, we are strengthening collaboration in power electronics and compound semiconductor technologies to support clean energy, electrification, and advanced manufacturing.
“At Bristol, we combine research excellence with impact. Through the REWIRE Innovation and Knowledge Centre, we are developing technologies to accelerate the net zero transition, while strengthening supply chains and training future talent. Our wider strengths, from space technologies to AI, supported by capabilities such as Isambard-AI and NCC, help translate innovation into industry.
“With the launch of our Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, we are creating new opportunities for collaboration, and today’s discussions mark the next phase of a partnership with real long-term benefits for Sarawak and the UK.”
John Edwards, Director at the UK Government’s Office for Investment, highlighted that such partnerships create meaningful opportunities for the UK to translate its strength into investment and long-term economic value.
He said: “This collaboration demonstrates how international partnerships can translate into tangible opportunities for innovation, investment and sustained growth. By working with forward-looking partners such as Sarawak, Malaysia, the UK is well-positioned to extend its global leadership in high-value sectors.”
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: "The West of England is proud to be home to the country's fastest-growing regional economy, and to be attracting interest from around the world - including today's delegation of senior officials and business leaders from Sarawak. Their new agreement with the University of Bristol is an important milestone in the already strong relationship between Malaysia and the West Country."
A key highlight of the programme was the strategic dialogue titled “Strategic Discussion and Exploration of Collaboration with Experts and Industry Players,” co-chaired by Professor Martin Kuball, Director and Project Lead at the University of Bristol (REWIRE), and Shariman Jamil, Chief Executive Officer of SMD Semiconductor.
Discussions focused on four priority domains:
- Semiconductor technologies
- Satellite systems and remote sensing
- Aerospace and advanced systems engineering
- Climate technology and data systems
These focus areas underscore the UK’s depth of expertise across critical, high-growth sectors, while reinforcing its role as a partner of choice for international collaboration in advanced technologies.
The engagement also delivered concrete outcomes that strengthen the UK’s role in talent and capability development. This included the exchange of two strategic documents: the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SMD Semiconductor, the University of Bristol and Yayasan Sarawak, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Yayasan Sarawak.
In addition, a four-year PhD programme – fully funded by the Sarawak Government through Yayasan Sarawak – was announced, with an SMD Semiconductor engineer forming part of the first cohort at the University of Bristol, further reinforcing the UK’s position as a global centre for advanced skills, research excellence, and knowledge transfer.
The engagement builds on ongoing collaborations between the REWIRE Information and Knowledge Centre led by the University of Bristol, SMD Semiconductor and Yayasan Sarawak, signalling a transition from relationship-building to implementation-driven partnerships focused on research translation, capability development, and commercial impact.
As global demand accelerates across semiconductors and advanced technologies, this partnership reinforces the UK’s position at the forefront of innovation – leveraging international collaboration to drive technological advancement, economic growth, and long-term strategic value.
As a part of the event, members from the delegation were invited to tour the UK’s most powerful supercomputer, Isambard-AI, which was built and is managed by Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS), part of the University of Bristol.
Simon McIntosh-Smith, Director of BriCS, Professor of High Performance Computing at University of Bristol, said: “By aligning semiconductor innovation with supercomputing, we can unlock greater performance across energy efficiency and scalability, translating research into technologies that have genuine industrial and societal impact.”