Digital Society Research Grant, Cycle 2 and Digital Society Research Grant for Industry 2025 - Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals (CFP) will be open for a period of one (1) month:
 

• Open: Friday, 22 August 2025; and
• Close: Monday, 22 September 2025, at 5:00 pm.

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The DSRG aims to build a robust evidence base to enhance our understanding of the human and social factors influencing the adoption and use of digital technologies and services.
 
Since its inception in 2020, the programme has resulted in 82 research projects being awarded to facilitate research-based evidence-gathering amongst MCMC on diverse topics within the two main focus areas below:

• Digital Citizenship and Cyberwellness (DCC): Clarifying gap areas influencing participation, positive uptake, and wellness in an increasingly digitally dependent world.
• Digital Inclusion (DI): Clarifying regulatory and developmental gaps related to factors that impede equality of access and challenge the paradigm of ensuring that no one is left behind or deprived of digital connectivity and its benefits.

In line with efforts to broaden its impact, MCMC is now extending the advantages of DRSG to the Communication and Multimedia industry, namely MCMC’s licensees, to facilitate industry needs and foster collaboration between academia, MCMC, and industry in advancing the digital society agenda. This new initiative is called the Digital Society Research Grant for Industry (DSRGX). This brand name maintains the established DSRG brand, while the “X” signifies external collaboration with the industry.
 
Beginning this cycle, the programme will expand to include two additional focus areas:

• Future of Work (FW): Clarifying gap areas related to work transformations and the evolving skills needed due to digitalisation, technological advances and changing workforce expectations, and develop strategies to equip individuals and organisations for success.
• Sustainability & Environment, Social, and Governance (SESG): Clarifying gap areas impacting the environmental footprint of technology, social and ethical factors, sustainable business practices, and initiatives in the communications and multimedia (C&M) industry and supporting national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

C.     DSRG AND DSRGX RESEARCH TITLES
 

List of research related to Digital Citizenship and Cyberwellness (DCC)

1. DCC-1: The Content Code and the General Consumer Code: Assessing Their Awareness, Relevance, Usability, and Perceived Benefits Among the Malaysian Public in the Communications and Multimedia Industry
2. DCC-2: Evaluating Kempen Internet Selamat: Developing a Standardised Framework for Monitoring, Enhancing, and Measuring Online Safety Impact
3. DCC-3: Strengthening Public Adoption of Consumer Redress Mechanisms in the Communications, Multimedia, and Postal Services Industry: A Case Study in Negeri Sembilan
4. DCC-4: Cashless Payment Adoption in Negeri Sembilan: A Case Study of the General Public and Government Sector under the MCMC Cashless Society Scaling Up Programme
5. DCC-5: Understanding Digital Content Access Norms: Behavioural Archetypes and Ethical Perspectives Among Young Citizens

List of research related to Digital inclusion (DI)

1. DI-1: Investigating the Influence of Industrialised Building System (IBS) Precast Technology on Indoor Cellular Network Performance in Selangor Residential Developments
2. DI-2: Assessing Langkawi’s Digital Infrastructure for Inclusive Health, Assisted Living, and Wellness Tourism
3. DI-3: Digital Skills Training at NADI: Assessing AI Tutors and Human Educators for Future Workforce Readiness
4. DI-4: An Assessment of the Functionality and Connectivity of Master Antenna Television (MATV) Systems in Affordable High-Rise Residential Buildings in the Central Region
5. DI-5: Aligning Connectivity and Development: Evaluating JENDELA’s Impact in Rural Sabah Communities with Infrastructure Gaps
6. DI-6: Positioning 5G as a Public Utility in Sabah: Strategies for Inclusive and Impactful Connectivity
7. DI-7: Enabling FTTH Adoption in Brownfield Zones: A Sabah Case Study on Infrastructure Diversity and Consumer Choice

List of research related to Future of Work (FW)

1. FW-1: Building a Sustainable Future of Work: Assessing Flexible Working Hours in the Sabah Telecommunications Sector

List of research related to Sustainability & Environment, Social, and Governance (SESG)

1. SESG-1: Catalysing ESG Integration in the Communications and Multimedia Industry: MCMC's Role in Policy Development and Best Practice Facilitation
2. SESG-2: Transforming the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Designated Industry Fora: A Governance and Operational Review
3. SESG-3: Enhancing the Financial Sustainability of Designated Industry Fora in Malaysia: Exploring Alternative Mechanisms for Long-Term Viability
4. SESG-4: A Study on Public Utility Perception and Legal Safeguards for Fibre Infrastructure in Sabah: Addressing Vandalism, Theft, and Community Awareness
5. SESG-5: SW110 Waste Management in Sabah: Bridging Infrastructure Gaps and Evaluating Localised Treatment Feasibility
6. SESG-6: Evaluating the Relevance of Regulatory Definitions in the General Consumer Code (GCC) Amidst Malaysia’s Evolving Communications and Multimedia Landscape
7. SESG-7: Strengthening Business Stability in Malaysian Broadcasting through Sustainable Local Content Creation: A Strategic Framework for Producers and Regional Broadcasters
8. SESG-8: Closing the Data Gaps: Developing Locally Representative Emission Factors for Malaysia’s Transportation Sector to Strengthen Climate Policy and Reporting

For more details on the gap area, targeted research subjects, problem and context, and desired research aims and objectives, please refer to the DSRG and DSRGX Application Guideline in the download link below.

 

D.     CFP DOCUMENTS

Applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to the Application Guideline before submitting the application. The Application Guideline and Proposal Submission Form may be downloaded here:
 

E.     DSRG AND DSRGX INFORMATION SESSION
 

• Information Session Video
• Presentation Slides

Contacts (office hours only): Mr. Zachary Malik at 03-8688 8263 / Ms. Atiqah Nabilah Mohd Salleh at 03-8688 7854 / Ms. Kasthuri Sri Tharan at 03-8688 8497 / Ms. Nor Aina Osman at  03-8688 8006 / Ms. Ainul Yasmin Mohd Yusoff at 03-8688 8116.