16th Asia-Pacific Innovation Conference (APIC) 2026

Call for Abstracts

Submission Guidelines – Abstract and Full Paper

1. Abstract Submission Guidelines

1.1 Abstract Requirements

• Length: 250–300 words
• Language: English (UK spelling preferred)
• Authors are encouraged to structure their abstract under the following headings:
  • Purpose / Research Objective
  • Theoretical / Conceptual Framework
  • Methodology / Methods
  • Key Findings (or Expected Findings)
  • Originality / Contribution
  • Provide 5-6 keywords.

1.2 Review Process and Notification

• All submissions must be made via the official submission portal on the conference website.
• All abstracts will undergo double-blind peer review.
• Abstract submission deadline: 20 May 2026.
• Notification of acceptance: 31 May 2026.
• Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to submit a full paper.

2. Full Paper Submission Guidelines

2.1 Full Paper Requirements

• Length: 6,000–10,000 words (including references)
• Full paper submission deadline: 20 July 2026
• Language: English (UK spelling preferred)
• File Format: Microsoft Word (docx)
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
• Spacing: 1.5 line spacing
• Referencing Style: APA (7th edition)

2.2 Paper Structure

• Full paper should normally include:
  1. Introduction
  2. Literature Review / Theoretical Framework
  3. Methodology
  4. Results / Findings
  5. Discussion
  6. Conclusion and Implications
  7. References

2.3 Publication Opportunity

• Selected high-quality papers may be considered for edited volume with an international academic publisher, and journals such as Institutions and Economies and Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, subject to further peer review and editorial evaluation.
• Only papers presented at the conference will be considered for publication.
• The Scientific Committee reserves the right to determine final selection based on academic merit, originality, and thematic coherence of the volume.

3. Important Notes

• Submissions must be original and must not be under review elsewhere.
• At least one author of each accepted paper must register for and present at the conference.
• Failure to present may result in removal from the conference programme and from consideration for publication.

Keynote Speakers

Professor Nazia M. Habib

Founder and Director,
Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development (CRSD), University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

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Professor Nazia M. Habib

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Professor Nazia M. Habib is Founder and Director of the Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development (CRSD) and holds professorial appointments at the University of Cambridge. Educated at Oxford and Cambridge, her work focuses on advancing action-research methodologies that integrate collective intelligence, technology, and open innovation to improve decision-making. Her approaches have benefited leaders in over 57 countries and informed policy advice to more than 20 governments on sustainability and climate change. Recognised at Commonwealth Day 2023 at Buckingham Palace, she also established a regional food systems leadership academy with FAO. She is an Honorary Professor at the Asia-Europe Institute, Universiti Malaya.

Professor Patarapong Intrakumnerd

Professor,
National Graduate Research Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan

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Professor Patarapong Intrakumnerd

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Professor Patarapong Intrakumnerd is based at the National Graduate Research Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, where he teaches Master’s and PhD programmes and researches the economics of innovation and innovation policy. He earned his BA (First Class) from Thammasat University, MPhil from Cambridge, and DPhil from SPRU, University of Sussex. He is Editor-in-Chief of the SSCI-indexed Asian Journal of Technology Innovation and serves on several international editorial boards. His research covers national innovation systems, industrial clusters, and technological capability in Asia. He is a founding member of ASIALICS and has advised organisations including the World Bank, OECD, UNIDO, and ERIA.

Professor Lakhwinder Singh

Professor,
Thapar School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Punjab, India

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Professor Lakhwinder Singh

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Professor Lakhwinder Singh is Professor at the Thapar School of Liberal Arts and Sciences (TSLAS) and Visiting Professor at the Institute for Human Development, New Delhi. He previously served as Professor and Head of Economics at Punjabi University, where he founded the Centre for Development Economics and Innovation Studies. A former senior economist at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, he has received the Ford Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship and Asia Fellowship (IIE, New York). With over 32 years of teaching and supervision of 21 PhDs, he is Coordinator of Indialics and founding editor of Millennial Asia, a SCOPUS-indexed journal.

Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar

Rector,
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar

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Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar is the Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Al-Ghazali Chair of Epistemology and Civilizational Studies at ISTAC-IIUM. He is also Emeritus Professor at the University of Malaya. He previously served as Distinguished Professor in Brunei, Malaysia Chair at Georgetown University, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at UM. A leading authority on Islamic science and philosophy, he has authored over 40 books and 300 articles. Listed among the world’s 500 most influential Muslims since 2009, he holds national honours from Malaysia.

Tentative Programme

Day 1: Tuesday, 22 September 2026

Day 2: Wednesday, 23 September 2026

Accommodation

Participants are encouraged to arrange their own accommodation during the conference period. The following hotels are conveniently located near the conference venue and are recommended for your stay:

Wyndham Grand Bangsar Kuala Lumpur
No. 1, Jalan Pantai Jaya, Tower 3
59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603-2298 1888
Website: wyndhamgrandbangsarkl.com.my

V.E Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur
The Vertical, 8, Jalan Kerinchi, Bangsar South
59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603-2246 2888
Website: vehotel.com

Participants are advised to make reservations early to secure preferred rates and availability.

Shuttle bus transportation will be provided from the recommended hotels to the conference venue at the Asia-Europe Institute (AEI), Universiti Malaya (UM), throughout the conference period.

Registration, Abstract Submission and Payment

Create a UMEvent Platform Account

1. Register for the UMEvent platform at https://umevent.um.edu.my/login/index.php?id=reg
2. Click on the account verification link sent to your email, then log in.
3. Fill in your personal information
4. For the “Role” field, select “PRESENTER”.

Abstract Submission

1. Login to your UMEvent account at: https://umevent.um.edu.my/login/index.php?id=reg
2. Click on “Abstract and Full Paper”.
3. Fill in the Abstract/Full Paper Submission Form.
4.  Attach your abstract/full paper in an MS Word file.
5. Submit the form.

Payment

1. After receiving the abstract acceptance notification, proceed with payment by logging in to your UMEvent account at: https://umevent.um.edu.my/login/index.php?id=reg
2. Click on “Payment”.
3. Follow the instructions on the payment page.
4. Please email a copy of the receipt to aeiapic@um.edu.my with the subject “[Presenter’s Name] Receipt”.
5. Please contact the Secretariat at aeiapic@um.edu.my if you wish to pay via Local Order (LO) / Purchase Order.
6. The payment status will be confirmed once the Secretariat has verified receipt of your payment.
7. Payment is non-refundable.
   

Contact Information:

For any enquiries regarding registration, please contact Mdm. Safinah Abdullah at aeiapic@um.edu.my or +603-7967 6921.