Welcome to the Institute of Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC). Here at the Institute, we are pushing the frontiers of understanding the biodiversity of tropical ecosystems, with a view to improving their conservation and governance. The Institute has a long history of biodiversity research, dating back to its founding in 1996. We train leading thinkers and professionals who have a positive impact at various levels of society both locally in Sabah, nationally in Malaysia, and around the world. The world has long suffered from biodiversity loss and species extinction due to human development. When our children come to us and ask us what we do in life, we want to answer that we contribute to making the world better. Promoting the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity and natural ecosystems is key to this agenda. Our aim is therefore to understand, conserve and manage the biodiversity in tropical ecosystems by leading the way in research, education and communication.Sabah is strategically located in an area with a wealth of natural resources in its pristine tropical rainforests and marine ecosystems. The unique characteristics of Sabah's tropical biodiversity demand ongoing research to document biodiversity and understand its value, especially in terms of its interaction with the environment and its links to the ecosystem services that benefit humans. Through new interdisciplinary approaches, ITBC links technologies with the natural sciences to understand and utilize ecological systems. Research at ITBC focuses on collaboration with our local and international partners as a platform for knowledge exchange, transfer and capacity building. The ITBC postgraduate programme enables young researchers to experience first-hand Sabah's rich biodiversity and actively discover the unique features of tropical rainforest ecosystems. As a proud alumna of the Institute, I invite you to join us for a unique educational and research experience and to help us protect biodiversity. We welcome collaborations from all scientific ventures and community-led initiatives to achieve our goals.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim

Director
Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Universiti Malaysia Sabah