On 24 October 2025, the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) was invited to introduce APN and the 2025 Call for Proposals to the National University of Malaysia (UKM). Hosted by the Institute of Climate Change, over 85 participants from Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, and the Philippines attended the webinar.

On behalf of the APN Secretariat, Ms Naomi Young introduced the  APN  and its 2025 Call for Proposals under the Collaborative Regional Research Programme (CRRP) and Scientific Capacity Development Programme (CAPaBLE) during the UKM-hosted virtual seminar. Specific emphasis was placed on the high-priority sub-regional topics for 2025, eligibility requirements and timeline for submissions. Ms Young also highlighted APN’s ongoing commitment to engaging early career professionals and promoting regional collaboration to advance science-based policymaking for a sustainable Asia-Pacific region.

Representing the Center of Research for Environment, Energy and Water (CREEW), Ms Susmita Mishra presented the Asia-Pacific Network of Early Career Professionals for Global Change Research (APN-ECAP), an initiative supported by APN that empowers early career researchers under 40 to collaborate on global change and sustainability issues. She discussed the network’s formation, objectives and major activities, including regional workshops, interactive sessions and policy engagement initiatives. Ms Mishra emphasised ECAP’s role in promoting “ECAPs in Networking, Planning and Action,” providing professional development, mentorship, and visibility for emerging researchers across Asia-Pacific, thereby strengthening intergenerational collaboration and leadership in sustainability science. 

Dr Wan Shafrina Wan Mohd Jaafar, Head of the Earth Observation Centre at the Institute of Climate Change, UKM, shared her valuable experience as a participant in APN’s Proposal Development Training Workshop (PDTW), a CRRP grant recipient, and a member of the APN-ECAP Advisory Committee. She reflected on her CRRP2024-08SY-Wan project “Assessing Urban Heat Islands in Southeast Asia Megacities”, highlighting its focus on using geospatial analysis to enhance urban climate resilience. Dr Wan Shafrina noted that her PDTW participation strengthened her proposal design and regional partnerships, culminating in successful collaboration with local and international stakeholders to inform sustainable urban management policies.

The 2025 Call for Proposals will be launched in November 2025. Please refer to the APN directory webpage for more information.

To access the presentations shared during the webinar:

• 2025 Call for Proposals, APN [Presentation PDF]
• APN Early Career Professionals Network, CREEW [Presentation PDF]
• CRRP2024-08SY-Wan and ECP Experience, UKM [Presentation PDF]

About the National University of Malaysia (UKM)

Established in 1970, the National University of Malaysia (UKM) is a public research university hosting fourteen faculties, thirteen research institutes, and two teaching hospitals. Recognised for its academic excellence and regional impact, UKM was named Malaysia’s top university under 50 years in 2018 and continues to build its reputation across the Asia-Pacific region. In the field of environment and climate change, UKM has established its dedicated Institute of Climate Change (UKM) to advance research and support policy-making, and is committed to becoming a zero-carbon campus by 2050.

The APN Secretariat gratefully acknowledges and thanks Dr Wan Shafrina Wan Mohd Jaafar (Head of Earth Observation Centre) and Prof. Madya Dr Zaini Sakawi (Director, Institute for Climate Change) for hosting, inviting and facilitating the outreach webinar opportunities with UKM and its regional student cohort.